Over 200 cubes display products by coffee brand Illy at this temporary shop in Milan.

Above: photograph by Federico Rizzo

Designed by architect Caterina Tiazzoldi of Turin and New York, the Illy shop is furnished with nothing but the white cubes, which are exactly sized to fit coffee tins and espresso machines inside.

A counter, tasting table and rubbish bins are also made from the cubes, as are lights affixed to the ceiling.

Above: photograph by Federico Rizzo

We recently rounded up all of our stories about pop-up shops, see more of them here.

Above: photograph by Federico Rizzo

Photography is by Luca Campigotto, apart from where otherwise stated.

Here's a bit more text about the concept from Caterina Tiazzoldi:

Illy Shop

Is a temporary shop for Illy Caffe’, located in Milano in Galleria San Carlo nearby the Duomo.

The concept for a reconfigurable store, characterized by different modulations of a single element, a “cube” which is 45x45cm-squared base.

Using a grasshopper definition it has been parametric device, it has been possible to manipulate the cube physical properties by editing depth, thickness, opacity, length and explosions. The combinatory logic – inspired by genetic algorithms process - permits to perform over 3000 configurationsof the same object.

The shop is created by 200 cubes and specifically designed to adapt to different sizes of Illy Café products.

Small variation of the same modules permitted to derive the tasting tables, desk counter, storage, lighting system, video frames, communication space, and recycling bins.

By adapting the different modules according to the performances required, (accessibility of the products from the outside, number of item to display, level of transparency desired, product size) it becomes feasible to represent different characteristics of the Illy products, while the solution also allows fitting it into different locations.

The system engender from the walls and the ceiling, creating a disoriented expansion. The differentiated space dimensions appears to become one, transforming it into a game where user’s sight shifts from an object to another discovering the inside.

Design: Caterina Tiazzoldi
Team: Lorenza Croce, Federico Rizzo, Roberta Musso, Alessio Primavera, Monica Pianosi, Mauro Fassino, Zsofia Ujhelyi, Illy Caffe’ Art Direction