Ferrari Launches the Pit Stop Store at Vulcano Buono

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed)
Dec 15th 2010 at 7:02PM

Does Art imitate Life, or does Life imitate Art? Replace Art with Architecture, and Life with Nature and you very well might have your answer in Vulcano Buono. The innovative commercial space sits in the heart of Nola – one of Italy's most important industrial centers – and the foothills of Mount Vesuvius. The building imitates the menacing volcano above in its form, and is insulated by acres of sloping vegetation fields in a unique green initiative.

The only thing such a structure might share with a company like Ferrari (aside from the carbon spewing into the atmosphere) might be the country they both call home, but this is also the site that Ferrari chose to open a new kind of retail space. Called the Pit Stop, it's similar to other Ferrari Stores around the world, but is targeted specifically at race fans (as opposed to sportscar owners on the flip-side of the Ferrari coin).

The 900-square meter store is the first of its kind, and is styled after the pit-lane garages used by Ferrari on the grand prix circuit. The decor and furniture are inspired by the industrial-strength travel cases used by the Scuderia, there's a reproduction pit wall where visitors can drive the Ferrari Virtual Academy driving simulator and of course there's plenty of memorabilia on offer. The Vulcano Buono store is the first of what Ferrari plans will be many situated around the world.

Gallery: Ferrari Pit Stop store at Vulcano Buono