Matroneo: Where Design Becomes a Sensory Experience

Inaugurated in 2004 in Monza, Matroneo is a venue where design translates the essence of music and sensory experience into architecture. The name refers to the matroneo, the gallery in ancient churches reserved for women, concealed behind lattice screens that shielded them from the gaze of men. Similarly, the venue plays with the concept of separation and revelation, transforming spatial perception through transparency, reflections, and monumental volumes.

The architectural layout is based on a three-nave structure, inspired by ancient cathedrals, where the fusion of sacred and profane, classicism and innovation, achieves perfect harmony. At the heart of the scene, the DJ console becomes an altar where the ritual of music is celebrated, while an overhead video wall continuously displays the image of a great bonfire, amplifying the sense of ritual and immersion.

High-Dech in a Mystical Dimension
The High-Dech style that defines Matroneo synthesizes technology and decoration, redefining the use of materials and their relationship with form. Black mirrors, framed by massive backlit glass structures, reflect barely perceptible images, dissolving the unnecessary and enveloping the space in a rarefied atmosphere.

Decorative elements—few but striking—evoke echoes of the past, creating a refined contrast with the contemporary linearity of the architecture. The bar counters, with their harmonious curves, are clad in laser-cut steel lattice screens, illuminated from within and echoing the geometric motif of the venue’s logo. Along the side naves, these lattices create a see-through effect, heightening the mystery and interplay of perception that defines the entire space.

An Architecture Designed to Engage the Senses
Dominating the central nave, which serves as the dance floor, is a circular bar counter crowned by an imposing three-meter-wide stainless steel chandelier, exclusively designed for the venue.

At the far end of the central nave, the raised apse hosts the restaurant area, furnished with custom-made pieces in black lacquered wood and black velvet, playing with a monochromatic contrast of glossy and matte finishes. The restaurant’s semi-circular walls are draped in towering red velvet curtains, enveloping the space in a dramatic, theatrical atmosphere.

Structure and Functionality: Where Aesthetics Meets Innovation
Matroneo’s architecture is not just about aesthetics but also deeply rooted in functionality. A series of gothic steel arches, besides defining the visual identity of the space, support the integrated air treatment ducts, seamlessly blending into the venue’s design.

Above the pointed arches, the vaulted ceiling features an innovative retractable structure, allowing guests to admire the open sky on summer nights—elevating the experience into something even more exclusive and immersive.

Matroneo: A Manifesto of High-Dech
Among Gianni Lo Giudice’s most significant projects, Matroneo stands as a true embodiment of the High-Dech philosophy—an architecture that is not merely an aesthetic vision but a full sensory experience. Here, design, technology, and a mystical atmosphere merge to create a timeless and unparalleled venue.