The Pierre Marcolini flagship store, designed by Atelier Meadow, stands in Grand Gateway 66, one of Shanghai’s most prestigious luxury destinations. The project marks a central step in Pierre Marcolini’s rebranding strategy, with Atelier Meadow also developing the concept for six additional stores across China and South Korea.

The design concept takes inspiration from the chocolatier’s guiding philosophy: from bean to bar. Every element of the space echoes the chocolate-making process, from the raw environment of the cocoa bean to its refined transformation into exquisite creations. The flagship store is envisioned as both a retail destination and a spatial narrative, where craftsmanship, texture, and detail shape an atmosphere of elegance and intimacy.

Atelier Meadow drew a parallel between the delicate art of chocolate-making and the ancient tradition of plasterwork. Both disciplines demand precision, sensitivity, and a mastery of tools to create unique textures and forms. The store’s walls are conceived as a living canvas, layered with Venetian stucco to generate subtle plays of light and shadow. Depending on the technique of application, surfaces shift between matte and sheen, opacity and reflection, creating a landscape that is never static. As visitors move through the space, light glides across these textures, altering perception with every step. The surfaces invite touch as much as sight, encouraging the hand to follow the undulations while the eye captures shifting reflections.
In this interplay, material becomes more than surface, it becomes a living matter, animated by presence, transforming the act of walking into a tactile and sensorial discovery.

Materiality is central to the project. Plaster is used as the “raw” element, while travertine, copper, and stucco embody refinement. Together, these materials establish a dialogue of contrasts, simplicity and richness, rawness and polish, mirroring the brand’s philosophy. Their tactile qualities root the space in a human scale, transforming surfaces from mere boundaries into vessels of memory and presence.

The spatial configuration posed a challenge: a long, narrow rectangular plan. Atelier Meadow responded with flowing geometries and arched walls that expand and contract, guiding visitors through a rhythmic journey. This orchestrated movement transforms constraint into opportunity, turning the act of circulation into an exploration of depth and detail.

Attention to detail defines the flagship. Subtle references to chocolate-making tools and gestures are embedded in finishes and forms. Copper reflections meet the matte surfaces of plaster, creating a refined equilibrium. These details are not ostentatious but quietly assertive, leaving traces for attentive visitors to discover.

Ultimately, the Shanghai flagship store offers more than a place of purchase. It is a crafted environment where material, texture, and light converge to tell the story of Pierre Marcolini. Here, design is not spectacle but atmosphere, an invitation to observe, to discover with all the senses, and to experience the timeless values of craftsmanship.

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L O C A T I O N   -  Shanghai, China

A R E A   -   100 sqm 

T Y P E - Completed

Y E A R - 2024

D E S I G N : Atelier Meadow (architecture, interior, lighting, fixtures and furniture)
D E S I G N   D I R E C T O R : Edoardo Nieri 
S E N I O R   D E S I G N E R :  Huiyi Wu
 

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C O L L A B O R A T O R S :

D E S I G N   M A N A G E M E N T : Topin Design Co., Ltd.
G E N E R A L   C O N T R A C T O R :  Bazon Architectural Decoration Engeneering Co.,Ltd.
L I G H T I N G   C O N S U L T A N T : Shanghai Canke Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.
P H O T O G R A P H E R : Edward Shi

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