The store’s design was commissioned to Scarpa in 1957 by Adriano Olivetti, who had acquired the former premises of an old shop in the Piazza. This space, located precisely at the corner under the loggia of the Procuratie Vecchie and the Sotoportego del Cavalletto, near the Arco Celeste leading to the Orseolo basin, was intended by Olivetti to become a prestigious exhibition and launch point for the renowned office products, attracting the attention of both customers and aesthetes. Given the location, Scarpa’s intervention had to be carried out with the utmost care and precision, as well as with deep respect for the historic Piazza and its monuments. Scarpa prepared a project of great formal refinement with meticulous attention to the choice of materials, increasingly determined to develop an architectural style that was both essential and refined, eclectic yet elegant, skillfully combining diverse elements.
In 2009, the precarious condition of the store was highlighted, prompting the restoration of the interiors, which concluded with the reopening to the public on April 20, 2011.
The store consists of a space volumetrically connected to the almost entirely mezzanined first floor, seamlessly incorporating the small entrance area adjacent to the Piazza, the exhibition space, and a discreet corridor leading to a rectangular room providing access to the services, thereby completing the ground floor. In this large room, delineating the corridor, stands a staircase with staggered sides, leading to the first floor, which is half the size of the lower level. Also in this area, between the entrance and the base of the staircase, is an elegant ornamental fountain. The nozzle is made from a slab of white marble with an internal copper element bearing the Olivetti logo, releasing a gentle flow of water into a perfectly smooth rectangular black marble basin. Adjacent to this basin is a beautiful sculpture by Alberto Viani.
All the spaces are floored with a delicate interplay of marble and Murano glass: a series of square tiles, similar in shape but varying in color from area to area, interspersed with smooth white stone finishes, creating a highly pleasing glossy effect across the entire surface. Scarpa chose the colors red, yellow, and blue, the primary colors plus white. The extensive use of continuous glass along the perimeter of the ground floor contributes to a seamless integration between the interior and exterior. This trend is further emphasized by the positioning of the entrance area, organized with a low smooth marble threshold that gently rises from the trachyte pavement of the Piazza and leads, through a door preceded by a sliding accordion gate, into the first large room. Outside, the window frames are made of teak and white marble, with internal hinged shelves and pendant lamps for product illumination. Along the entire exterior wall of the store runs a concrete base mixed with pebbles, providing a striking contrast to the smoothness of the teak and glass and blending harmoniously with the ancient pavement of the arcades. On the side wall, behind a large Olivetti logo, there is a small electrical cabin, accessible for maintenance.