Audemars Piguet inaugurates its new AP House in Via Bagutta, in one of Milan's most prestigious neighbourhoods.
Located in the former Garage Traversi (at no. 2 Via Bagutta, Milan), which has been entirely renovated in recent years to restore its original aesthetics, the new AP House in Audemars Piguet spans five floors, combining heritage, technology and highly contemporary design. Via Bagutta is just a few metres from Piazza San Babila and the famous Via Montenapoleone, the fashion street. Prized for its architecture and culture, Via Bagutta was once home to many artists and intellectuals, including the playwright Carlo Goldoni and the writer Alessandro Manzoni.
Designed as a timeless space for lovers of the brand, The initial AP House concept was created in collaboration with some of the manufactory's most valued customers. Trying to imagine how the brand founders Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet would have lived in the 21st century, travelling the world and sharing their passion for fine watches.
AP House: the debut in Milan
The first AP House was opened in Milan in 2017.
It is a conceptual space located in Via Pietro Verri, which has strengthened the company's presence in Italy, a market that has played a key role for the watch industry and Audemars Piguet in particular, especially the Royal Oak and Royal Oak Offshore collections. Seven years after the launch of the first AP House, therefore, Audemars Piguet takes this retail concept to a new level, opening a space in the heart of the city to allow fans to immerse themselves in the maison's universe and offer them personalised experiences.
AP House Milano was designed in collaboration with Lissoni & Partners, an architecture and interior design studio based in Milan and New York which combines a strong sense of rigour and simplicity with a marked attention to detail, coherence, elegance and harmony. For this project, the studio was inspired by the natural environment of the Vallée de Joux, home of Audemars Piguet, incorporating different materials such as wood, glass and metal into the design and giving the space a Milanese touch.
The new AP House in via Bagutta extends over five floors
There are many references to the rich history of the House.
On the ground floor, a modernist pattern recalling the brand's iconic Petite Tapisserie guilloché motif, which made its debut with the launch of the Royal Oak in 1972, immerses guests in the world of the House. In addition to the traditional lounge area of the AP House, where visitors and guests can relax in a homely atmosphere, the new location includes an exhibition floor of watches in which contemporary and historical timepieces live side by side in a futuristic exhibition environment. The exhibition space is enhanced by a selection of vintage furniture and design creations by famous Milanese designers such as Osvaldo Borsani, Franco Albini, Ettore Sottsass, Vico Magistretti and Achille Castiglioni.
The AP House also includes an entire floor dedicated to the overhaul of timepieces, where visitors can admire the watchmakers at work and learn more about the craftsmanship of the Manufacture. The various floors are connected by a spiral staircase reminiscent of a clock spring. As the heart of the building, this staircase represents the inextricable links of space between tradition and modernity, between Milan and Le Brassus. Finally, the AP House boasts a panoramic rooftop with a breathtaking 360° view of Milan's skyline and historical monuments, including the Castello Sforzesco, the green dome of the church of San Carlo al Corso and the 'Madonnina', the highest spire of the Duomo.
There are 20 AP Houses in the world
They are also present in cities such as New York, London, Barcelona and Tokyo.
"The new AP House Milan introduces a fresh and forward-looking perspective on the initial AP House concept, which started in Milan in 2017. It is an honour to open our new premises in such a prestigious and iconic environment as Garage Traversi, a place that reflects Audemars Piguet's commitment to preserving and enhancing local savoir-faire, past and present', said Andrea Cardillo, Country General Manager Italy of Audemars Piguet. The new AP House Milan joins 19 existing locations in some of the world's most important cities, including Amsterdam, Bangkok, Barcelona, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Munich, New York, Shanghai, Tel Aviv, Tokyo and Zurich.
