Mel bookstore

MEL BOOKSTORE – Mediastore chain, 1995/2007

Construction and furnishing of a book, textbook and multimedia retail chain in the historic city centers of Rome, Ferrara, Padua, Bologna, Florence. Along the lines of the large European (Hugendubel - Dillon) or American (Borders, Barnes & Noble) bookstores, the stores of the MEL chain are conceived with inviting and well illuminated sales areas, wide aisles, places for relaxing and consultation, refreshment services, in spaces that range from 800 to 2.000 sq. mt.

MEL BOOKSTORE ROME
The first of the group’s stores (and the largest) is situated inside a grand space built in the 1800s, of which the elements of major architectural value were preserved. The intervention on the three existing floors, with the addition of a mezzanine level, was conceived by lining the interior of the historic building with a second skin, in this way allowing for the cabling and conditioning of the bookstore without modifying the perimeter walls.

MEL BOOKSTORE FERRARA
Intriguing intervention inside the portico of the San Crispino Palace, dating from the 1400’s. A new metal and glass structure offers the passersby a perception of the store as a single large storefront. A semitransparent tecnological suspended ceiling in metal mesh grill, with lights, sprinkler and sound system is hung from the beams of the original wood ceiling

MEL BOOKSTORE BOLOGNA
Radical renovation on three floors of a small building on the downtown street Via Rizzoli, in front of Piazza Maggiore. The store expands to the first floor and basement level, spatially connected by a void three stories high, accessible by a transparent stair in steel and glass. The project to expand the ground floor to occupy the entire street front of the building was recently completed.

MEL BOOKSTORE PADUA
Adaptive reuse of an ex supermarket encompassing the entire ground floor of a 1950’s building, with a continuous glass storefront the full width of the store. The space is articulated by the characterization of the various sales areas. A preexistent glass block dome was restored as the fulcrum of the main space around upon which the other specialized sectors face: music, textbooks, new arrivals.

MEL BOOKSTORE FLORENCE
The most recent MEL Bookstore occupies a former movie theater completely redesigned through a decisive intervention of riqualification in the period 2004 – 2006. The first sales room, with an information counter and reading areas, takes advantage of the double height space of the preexistent hall and balcony. The core of the bookstore, on 2 floors, is formed by the former movie hall, of considerable height, with a large skylight for natural illumination.