Porsche Italia recently opened its eighth Porsche Experience Center worldwide, the first in Italy and the largest on a global scale. The complex is located in Franciacorta, a scenic area of northern Italy known for its rolling hills covered with esteemed vineyards that have made the eponymous brand world famous.
Designed by the Milan-based studio GBPA Architects, this facility involves any kind of public, from clients to fans, from companies to families, reserving to each one the pleasure of living the world of Porsche as a protagonist. The Porsche Experience Center has been conceived in a sustainable way: the attention to the environment guided every step of the project, from the concept to its realisation. The architectural idea aimed at reusing existing infrastructure as far as possible and the entire facility is powered by renewable energy. The new Porsche Experience Center covers an area of 60 hectares on the track and consists of two main areas: the customer centre and the drivers’ paddock.
The former has a futuristic appearance and an eye-catching curved structure, it is the gateway to all the experiences addressed to both customers and enthusiasts. From this place, visitors have the opportunity to experience the world of Porsche in all its facets. The customer centre covers an area of 5.600 square metres and includes a central space, or agora, from which various areas can be accessed. Pedrali products fit in them smoothly and dynamically.
Speedster restaurant features Vic chairs, designed by Patrick Norguet, which offer high comfort levels thanks to the generous sizes of the upholstered seat and to the feeling of lightness conveyed by the characteristic back that lifts up from the seat while remaining tied only at the ends. Selected in the tones of grey and mustard, they dot, together with Arki-Base tables, this elegant panoramic room overlooking the handling circuit, while giving it character.
This area also includes the Targa bar whose indoor room, furnished with Nemea chairs, designed by CMP Design, and the barstools from Babila collection, by Odo Fioravanti, opens the way to a large panoramic terrace suitable for enjoying the circuit through a privileged view of the entire complex. Here we find Reva, the elegant three-seater sofa designed by Patrick Jouin, its soft lines and generous dimensions evoke a relaxing dreamy, summery ambience reflected in its very name. The clean design is accentuated by the four tapered legs that support a thin extruded aluminium frame, while the soft cushions offer greater comfort, both for the sofa and the lounge armchair. Also Remind armchairs, designed by Eugeni Quitllet, find space on this wide patio. Comfort and cosiness are the strong elements of this polypropylene seating, where the organic silhouette evokes the soft lines of the wooden chairs from the late nineteenth century. The breathable texture of the seat and the backrest keeps the chair dry on rainy days and cool in summer, while also endowing it with a light and airy look. The armchairs, here in beige, are paired with Elliot tables of the same colour that, with their elegant silhouette featuring soft sinuous shapes, complete the scene.
The customer centre also includes a Business Center for up to 140 seats and a Board Room for business meetings, both bookable on request, to meet even the needs of companies wishing to organize their own events at Porsche Experience Center Franciacorta. In these flexible spaces find their perfect location Tweet chairs, designed by Marc Sadler, featuring rational and clean design, and the tilting version of Ypsilon table. Designed by Jorge Pensi Design Studio, this stackable table with castors and tilting top, can be moved and stored away when not in use: at the cutting-edge in terms of quality, it seamlessly fit in these environments. Elinor executive chair is characterised by soft, curving lines which convey a refined yet contemporary image. It is extremely comfortable and body-hugging, thanks to the polyurethane injected foam seat and back and to the weight-activated synchro-tilt mechanism integrated in the upholstered seat allows the tilting to be selfregulated according to the user’s body weight, ensuring that the back is kept in the most comfortable position.
Last but not least, comes Arki-Table, a successful collection, celebrating this year a special anniversary: 10 years from its presentation, dated 2012. A structurally linear and rigorous table, but at the same time versatile and designed for different uses. It is characterised by an ultra-thin top of big dimensions with cable management supported by a hidden extruded aluminium frame. The proportions of this table assure visual harmony, as well as clean lines.