La Fetta Dairy Store in Bagnolo, Italy by SCEG Architects with artist Hilario Isola.

You can’t miss La Fetta. The dairy shop, located in Bagnolo, Italy, stands tall against the enveloping countryside transformed on the outside into a totem of sliced cheese — highlighting the entrance from afar.

A collaborative effort between SCEG Architects, artist Hilario Isola and graphic design studio ELYRONA, this cheese store combines art, design and graphics into one cohesive identity for their clients — two young and enlightened brothers — who seek quality and innovation across all levels of their commercial interior.

As the design team began to work with the materials of the place, two clear ‘ingredients’ arose. Old wooden curing boards are utilised, their grain marked by time and use. The imprints of the cheese shapes on the cleaned wood become intricate patterns, scenography and graphics that weave a cheesy narrative. In contrast, stainless steel slabs with their cold and reflective materiality complete the production space. The wooden planks cover almost the entire store, acting as walls, counters, staircases and shelves as the interior architecture mirrors the outside emblem.

Related: Temple to Cheese: Formaje Madrid by Cobalto Studio.

The interior unfolds across two levels. With farm-to-table vibes, the sales area finds itself visually connected to the production floor and the main maturing cell as a natural flow between production and sales is nurtured. Cheese and ice cream take centre stage as the heroes of the floor.

On the second level, there is a meeting space between customer and information. ELYRON created a ‘library’, applying very heterogeneous information on wooden tome shapes. The exhibition, located above the cell on the ground floor offers continuity between the information and the product as it’s integrated into the space.

This unique and active experience works between the industries of art, design and graphics to connect all phases of production into a fully realised and immersive cheese shop.

Related: Hunter & Co Deli in Elsternwick, Melbourne by Mim Design.

[Images courtesy of SCEG Architects. Photography by Barbara Corsico.]