April 12, 2019

Text: Kristie Garrell

Tom Dixon Opens Restaurant/Showroom The Manzoni in Milan

Neutral tones make textured elements of the Dining Hall stand out. Photography by Peer Lindgreen.

Rather than just another five-day exhibition at Salone de Mobile, this year designer Tom Dixon decided to make his mark on Milan a little more permanent. His Design Research Studio created The Manzoni, a restaurant that doubles as a showroom. Incorporating Dixon’s three new collections, The Manzoni—named for its location at 5 Via Manzoni—elevates the products from simply being on display to functioning in an active environment. The 100-cover, 5,000-square-foot restaurant will officially debut after Salone wraps up next week and be open to the public in May.

Read more: Must-See Products from Milan Design Week

Dixon noted that after putting so much energy into creating pop-up exhibitions, his company sought to be a fixture in Milan. “With the city being so active and engaging right now, it is the right time to forget being temporary and build something permanent,” the designer said. “Just like in London, we don’t think it’s enough to just have a showroom. We need a place where people slow down and experience our products in a live setting.”

The Bar & Lounge features a graphic wall of stone tile in deep gray and pale green along with Dixon’s Fat lounge chairs and bar stools and Opal and Melt lights. Photography by Peer Lindgreen.

Showcased at The Manzoni, Dixon’s new collections include Fat, an upholstered seating line; Spring, a trio of pendant lamps; and Opal, a spherical lighting collection. In the restaurant, these elements work to soften the space and balance the bass notes of concrete and marble. 

The Manzoni’s main space, called The Dining Hall, features a vast “monastic Italian” dining table lit by a string of Opal globes, accompanied by Fat dining chairs. Guests will be able to enjoy dinner entrees such as Sicilian-style ring-shape pasta with roasted eggplant, tomato and ricotta and boneless duck leg cooked in Lambrusco wine.

At The Jungle, Spring pendants in brass float and Fat high stools pull up to a marble table. Photography by Peer Lindgreen.

Beyond the Dining Hall, another room called The Jungle brings guests into a space filled with ferns, Spanish moss, orchids, and all manner of greenery. This is where Dixon’s Spring brass pendants really shine (pun intended). 

The Bar & Lounge features a graphic wall of stone tile in deep gray and pale green along with Dixon’s Fat lounge chairs and bar stools and Opal and Melt lights.

The Dining Hall features a vast dining table lit by a string of Opal globes, accompanied by Fat dining chairs, all by Tom Dixon. Photography by Peer Lindgreen.

Dixon’s range of home accessories is displayed in The Shop’s platinum cases, and another splash of pale green brings color into the overall neutral palette.

Flooring in the retail/bar area is pale green subway tile. Photography by Peer Lindgreen.

Read more: Full Coverage of Milan Design Week 2019

Keep scrolling to see images of Tom Dixon’s new collections >

The Spring collection by Tom Dixon in silver. Photography courtesy of Tom Dixon.
Floor lamps and pendants of the Opal collection by Tom Dixon. Photography courtesy of Tom Dixon.
The Fat collection by Tom Dixon includes dining chair, high stool, and lounge chair, with options for custom upholstery. Photography courtesy of Tom Dixon.
The Spring collection by Tom Dixon in brass. Photography courtesy of Tom Dixon.

Read more: Inside the Most Anticipated Installations at Milan Design Week

Recent Projects