Toiletpaper Apartment, Milan
A residential project between domestic space and artistic language
When domestic space becomes an exhibition format
The project was conceived as a residential format designed to function simultaneously as a showroom and exhibition space, dedicated to the visual universe of Maurizio Cattelan and the Toiletpaper brand. The 80 sqm apartment was inaugurated during Fuorisalone 2024 with a photography exhibition by Alex Prager, confirming its dual vocation: residential and cultural.
The intervention called for the creation of a deliberately restrained architectural envelope, designed to accommodate strongly characterised artistic content without compromising everyday livability. Each room was treated with a dedicated chromatic palette: violet, red and blue walls serve as backdrops to bespoke handcrafted boiserie, display niches and furniture from the Seletti Toiletpaper collection. Alex Prager’s photographs, in large-format gilded frames, engage with the space as elements integrated into the project rather than simply hung on walls.
A work of balance between domestic function, showroom and gallery, in which technical execution and surface control become instruments for reinforcing identity, recognisability and visual coherence.
City
Milan
Year
2024
Designer
Arch. Lupic Elsen
Surface
80
Duration
4 months
Client
Private
Special features
Livable showroom for artistic identity
Service
Iconic commercial spaces →Publications
The photographs testify to the authenticity of the completed works, without recourse to generative artificial intelligence tools.
Photography: Renewall
To permanently separate two levels of a single apartment, originally connected by an internal staircase, by intervening on the existing structures. At the same time, to transform the floor into a space capable of accommodating collection furnishings, photographic works and temporary exhibition installations, while maintaining full residential functionality and meeting the Fuorisalone deadline as the inauguration date.
The staircase was demolished and removed in phases, followed by closure of the slab and restoration of the surfaces, with works planned to ensure operational continuity and schedule control. The rooms were completed with bespoke boiserie, recessed niches for objects and artworks, and a perimeter LED lighting system designed to enhance both everyday use and exhibition display.
Two independent and functionally autonomous units, one of which was transformed into a hybrid space between residence and gallery that hosted the inaugural Alex Prager exhibition and received coverage in five national publications. The project demonstrates how executive control and artisanal care in finishing can deliver an environment that functions simultaneously as a home, showroom and cultural venue.
NOËL & MARQUET wall mouldings
NOËL & MARQUET wall mouldings
Behind the scenes
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