Fondaco dei Tedeschi

The Fondaco dei Tedeschi, located near Venice’s Rialto Bridge, has served various roles over its 800-year history, from a key trading hub for German merchants to the headquarters of Italy’s postal system. In the 2000s, the Benetton family purchased the building and embarked on a significant renovation to transform it into an upscale mall, envisioning it as a shopping destination for Venice's millions of tourists. Renowned architect Rem Koolhaas and OMA were tasked with the renovation, which included installing modern conveniences like escalators and opening the roof to visitors.

Operating the Fondaco as an upscale mall presented multiple challenges. The Benetton family had to navigate local opposition concerned about the shift of a historic public building to private use, and address doubts about turning it into a commercial venue. Achieving a balance between preserving the historical aesthetics and incorporating contemporary retail requirements was complex, as was ensuring visitors felt welcome even if they were not intending to make high-end purchases. The operational viability hinged on attracting sufficient tourist foot traffic and converting these visitors into paying customers. As DFS, a subsidiary of LVHM, took on the management, the key questions revolved around stocking the mall with the right mix of goods, ensuring consistent tourist traffic, and maintaining economic viability.