A prestigious showcase for the Mazzetti d’Altavilla and Baratti & Milano boutiques, exhibited in Milan and Rome among the finest design creations
The Grappa & Cioccolato Store, opened in Alba in 2022 by the historic Piedmontese companies Mazzetti d’Altavilla (spirits) and Baratti & Milano (chocolate), is also among the protagonists of the exhibition that opened last Monday in Milan at the prestigious ADIDesign Museum. The store's innovative concept was selected as part of the "ADI Design Index 2023," part of the pre-selection process for the 2024 edition of the Compasso d'Oro, one of the oldest and most prestigious global design awards, established in 1954 and soon to celebrate its first 70 years. 219 products and services showcase the best of contemporary Italian design (plus 19 curated by design students from Italian universities). Among these, the Exhibition Design (which includes a total of 16 selected projects) includes the original exhibition layout developed for the spirits and chocolate boutique in the heart of Alba, along the central "Via Maestra." Conceived by architect Paolo Scoglio of Casale Monferrato (specializing in designing architecture in symbiosis with nature, both in Italy and abroad), the Store, located at number 13 of the main street in the Langhe capital, features a scenic, eco-friendly design that moves the store from being a mere container housing exhibits and products to becoming a total architecture in which the physical space merges with the furnishings, lighting, products, and user experience. A space that, through continuous, sharp lines, draws inspiration from nothing less than the terroir: it's no coincidence that the design translates into the choice of natural oak wood, air-oxidized Corten steel, lines of sustainable, highly efficient LED lights... in short, a futuristic yet warm treasure chest, so much so that it becomes an experiential place, a bit like the sensorial encounter between Grappa and Chocolate, two icons of Piedmont's culinary mastery.
While curious onlookers and enthusiasts from around the world currently visit the Store during the busy season of the Alba International Truffle Fair, the model of the shop is proudly displayed in the center of Milan, preparing to meet the public in Rome: the exhibition at the ADI Design Museum will be replicated towards the end of November in the Italian capital at a new location: Spazio WeGil, the cultural hub of the Lazio Region managed by LAZIOcrea.
"Being able to convey our innovative store concept, applied to two long-standing excellences like grappa and chocolate, to such a large and distinguished audience is a source of great emotion and perfectly represents our vision of a company that aims to enhance the past while projecting it into the future. We hope," adds Silvia Belvedere Mazzetti, General Manager of Mazzetti d’Altavilla , " that many visitors to the Milan and Rome exhibitions will be inspired to travel to the Alba store and our other locations in the Northwest to experience the project firsthand and in a multisensory way."
"Professionally, it is a dream come true, a milestone that gives meaning to all the commitment and passion we have poured into this project. However, all of this, " adds architect Paolo Scoglio , " would not have been possible if, at the beginning of this wonderful design adventure, there had not been a client so open-minded and enlightened as to pursue this innovative and revolutionary store concept."
Not only the ADI Design Index 2023 but also another prestigious "Design Award" had already recognized the originality of the Grappa & Cioccolato Store in Alba, giving it fame beyond its borders: this is Big See Interior Design in Slovenia, where the 100% Piedmontese project, in the Retail Category, achieved its first international prominence last summer.
