Mall Façade

Project Description

We were given the task of designing the façade of a shopping mall already under construction. First of all we had to deal with the fact that it was not possible to change the volumes and that we had to work just with certain technologies and within an already fixed budget.
At first sight the scenario was quite depressing and not very stimulating. What we did was to develop a simple idea and to transform it into a system that could support the façade design, the identity of the mall and the signage.

A design that was specifically related to the single mall and its context, and yet could be reproduced and be recognizable in the whole Sardinian territory.
Strategy led us to decide to work with just one single material and one single dimension. We opted for standard gres tiles 30x60cm and focused on their possible variations. The continuous pattern that wraps the whole building is based on 6 typical modules: 4 colour variations + 2 texture variations.

 

 

 

The main horizontal rows, made of 6/7 vertical tiles, unfold a variable sequence of types, turning the existing massive volumes into more dynamic ones. The two textures reflect the light differently, making the façade vibrating.

The colours and the textures of the tiles refer to the landscape visible from the mall; the Ortobene Mountain inspired the use of a beige-brown-dark greyand light grey palette, and though the façade differs from the surrounding town districts, on a larger scale it establishes a relationship with the landscape.

We extrapolated the Logo directly from the façade pattern and developed the whole strategy of communication. The Brand Identity is used on every scale – for the façade, logo and totem – and generates a communicative continuity that ensures uniqueness, recognisability and presence in the territory.

Project Details:

Client: Private
Status: Commission 2011. Under Construction
Location: Nuoro, Italy
Program: Total Area: 22000m2. Façade: 5500m2

Architect: MAR office
Team: Renato Juarez Corso, Paola Mongiu

Collaborators:
Façade: Marazzi Engineering
Totem: Archigia srl