Design Week 2023 in Milan (17-23 April), the most critical moment of the year for the design industry, has ended.
Together with Corepixx, ETT rearranged the shared space of its Milan headquarters in Viale Abruzzi 20: the new coworking space hosts a digital showroom dedicated to the most innovative solutions for transforming the online and in-store shopping experience.
Digital Experience and Spatial Design are the keywords we have chosen to define the new phygital space where ETT, ABS and Corepixx cohabit.
Video mapping, lightboxes, sensors, digital libraries and sliders are the core technologies that enrich this new environment dedicated to the retail world.
The entrance to the spaces has been renovated with a white lightbox, characterised by a marble-style fabric that comes to life when backlighting is active. A realistic effect is synonymous with a dynamism that anticipates the character of all the rooms in the Milan headquarters.
Passing this space and continuing to the right, we enter the meeting room: in addition to the practical functionality of the room, the aesthetic aspect is enhanced by three striking visual elements.
The first is the use of the floral style lightbox to cover one of the curved walls of the room, an alternative to the classic wallpaper, which, thanks to its quality and properties, is best suited to the curvature of the wall.
The second is the large-scale reproduction of Michelangelo’s David’s eyes in 3D printing, placed at the top of the floral wall. The third is the choice of animating David’s eyes through video mapping.
The third is the choice of animating David’s eyes through video mapping. The iconic gaze was chosen because it can personify the leading figures and professional roles in the ETT universe: architects, marketers, designers, digital strategists, engineers, developers and storytellers.
Continuing the path beyond the right-hand corridor, we come to the installation’s centrepiece: the digital library.
Each LED panel features a different technology that allows content to be explored emotionally and innovatively.
The first panel is activated by moving the hangers where some T-shirts are hung, thanks to wireless sensors.
The second LED invites visitors to scan a QR code with their smartphones, effectively activating a “remote control” function that allows them to play videos and change and select content at will.
With the next sensor, placing the pair of shoes on the player starts the content, which can be interrupted by removing the shoes and the corresponding sensor.
The last monitor, via a presence sensor, activates content related to a specific product, e.g., a bag.
Also present in the room is a metaverse-themed backlit lightbox that further emphasises the strong and innovative character of the space.
Completing the showroom tour is the slider dedicated to the Mini, positioned in the corridor to the left of the entrance.
By sliding it, it is possible to view specific contents that narrate the details of the iconic car. The last room is dedicated to the floral art wall, echoing the one in the meeting room, and four LED walls, managed by an app and connectable to the visiting tablet.
The new hardware, software and creative design renew the Viale Abruzzi 20 showroom, bringing it into a new retail dimension.