The arrival of multiplex theaters has caused the gradual demise of the small theaters that once populated the city centers and has created urban voids in search of new functions. The Excelsior in Milan, originally a movie theater built in the ’30s, and the adjacent Mignon theater, are keen examples of this transformation process. The properties have been given new life through the creation of an innovative retail space designed by French architect Jean Nouvel.

The project is based on a continuous dialogue with the existing structure of which only the original exterior shell remains. The newly-built glass domes create a series of floors that seem to float unrestricted by existing margins and recall the balconies of old movie theaters. The floating sensation is emphasized by the LED screens that run along the outer edge of the floors. Filtered views of the fleeting screen images are provided along the inner walls of the original volume coated with reflective paints in mauve tones reminiscent of the faded reds of old theaters. The vertical movement strikes a stark contrast with the motionless floors made even more unyielding by concrete flooring, creating the effect of dynamic fluid enveloping the building’s resilient core.

The “live periphery,” as Livia Tani of Ateliers Jean Nouvel defines it, re-emerges in the façade, where, once again, the relationship with the pre-existing structure occurs by reflection. A metal louver diaphragm becomes the filter through which the interior relate to the exterior, creating a kaleidoscope effect generated by the reflecting surface. The upper part of the louvers is matte glazed aluminum and the lower is mirror-polished. This reflects the images from the LED screens inside, offering fractioned and dynamic images. The ground floor opens itself completely to the city by way of large sliding glass panels. The same floor hosts an indoor-outdoor bar and a central beauty area whose display design evokes the modular elements of the building’s passageways reinterpreted with wood. The ground floor also houses shop-in-shops that bring to mind the identity of the respective brands, like Tiffany, with its horizontal turquoise lighting, or Ladurée’s display design serving as a pastel-hued backdrop for colorful macarons.

Featuring an irregular floor design, the upper levels overlook one another. On the first floor gray parallelepipeds dialogue with the stark concrete floors, accommodating contemporary design brands such as Skitsch and Globe-Trotter. The higher floors reiterate the fragmented language of the building through large glass display cases that demarcate the space and underscore the uniqueness of the offerings of Boutique Antonia.

At basement level, foodies can indulge at Eat’s Store, two floors dedicated to food. A restaurant divided into three separate areas according to three different food experiences is characterized by a wine cellar with wine bottles embedded into the labyrinthine walls. The floor below is visually linked by a cascade of spherical lights and showcases on minimalist shelves and displays a selection of irresistible food products from around the world.