Opened in July at Pully, Switzerland, a few kilometers from Lausanne, the new headquarters of the World Baseball Softball Confederation – WBSC – has immediately been a challenge. That of a single architectural gesture capable of tracing back through the history of these sports, but with an eye on the future. The architect Enrico Muscioni rises to the occasion with an interior design and technical lighting project inside a historical building near Lake Geneva. The aim was precisely to create harmony in the contrast between the modernity of new interiors and the historical character of the building, and between the past and future of a sporting discipline. To achieve this, Muscioni has worked with the finest brands of Made in Italy.
The dominant feature is the sculptural staircase produced by Fontanot, which connects the four levels of the facility and suggests the movement of a batter, like a hypnotic vortex. The load-bearing structure in steel entirely clad in KRION is held in place by metal frames covered in domestic walnut. The rooms, conceived to transmit a sense of calm and beauty, stand out for their contemporary furnishings.
There are references to the world of baseball, such as the home plate, the glove, the ball see in the lounge chairs and coordinated tables, custom-made by UniFor and covered on the outside with white leather, using typical baseball stitching. The large conference table bears the sign of the home plate, in a logo that suggests the form of the playing field and a play diagram.
UniFor has also supplied the Cases system and the Less Less desks by Jean Nouvel, the CF and Wingspan bookcases, both by Dante Bonuccelli, and Naos by Pierluigi Cerri. Iconic creations from the collection of Molteni&C are also harmoniously utilized: the D.154.2 chairs by Gio Ponti, the Gregor sofa by Vincent Van Duysen, the AVA bookcase by Foster+Partners, the Filigree tables by Rodolfo Dordoni, the Codex table and Glove chairs by Patricia Urquiola. The Prime kitchen by Dada and surfaces by Porcelanosa complete the décor.
Photo © Andrea Martiradonna
