TITO LIVIO

MILAN, ITALY
Set in a high-density urban environment, the project involves the complete renovation of an existing building, originally built in the 1950s for production and office use, to create a residential building with a garden.
The architectural quality of the façades is improved overall, with particular attention paid to the public façade on Via Tito Livio, in addition to the complete redesign of the private space within the block.
The new façade, adapted for residential use, is proposed with an architectural language in keeping with the environment and with the values of Milanese rationalism, while respecting the scale of the high-density urban area. In general, a new architecture is proposed.
One that also makes greater use of synergies with the design of the greenery. The renovation maintains the structures and orientation of the existing main building without altering its height, thus preserving the continuity of the façade on Via Tito Livio, and proposes a significant redevelopment of the inner part of the property, demolishing the low annexes and creating private gardens with greenery. The outline of the building is partially modified by adding loggias and balconies as a continuation of the existing slabs and by extending part of the building towards the interior of the property.
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
CREDITS
YEAR: 2023-
LOCATION: Milan
TYPE: Residenziale
CUSTOMER: Glenal s.r.l.
CONSULTANTS: Luca Lazzari, Giulia Spezia

VIA DEL FUSARO

MILAN, ITALY
The design intervention concerns the redevelopment of the existing site through the replacement of the building, improving the architectural quality of the public façade on Via del Fusaro and allowing the redevelopment of the internal private space. The relationship between the built-up areas and the design of the greenery on the site is also of great importance for the urban redevelopment of the block.
Two multi-storey residential buildings are built side by side, overlooking their own communal gardens. The larger one (seven storeys) maintains the continuity of the façade on the public road by leaning against the blind façade of the neighbouring building, whose cornice and ridge height it adopts. In the rear part of the property, on the other hand, a detached four-storey villa is being built in line with the neighbouring blind façades, thus regularising the interior of the site.
Starting from their typological and morphological diversity, the buildings have been designed with an architecture of relationships and a substantial unity of material and language, proposing possible variations in relation to the layout of the façades in order to characterize the urban and interior perspective as a whole.
The theory of loggias and full and empty spaces thus shapes an architecture characterised by continuity on the public façade and inside the building, with a sought-after ‘fragmentation’ and recognisability through autonomous parts, remaining rigorous in the composition of the elevations and referencing Milanese bourgeois rationalism.
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
CREDITS
YEAR: 2023-
LOCATION: Milan
TYPE: Residential
CUSTOMER: Fusaro 8 s.r.l
CONSULTANTS: Luca Lazzari, Giulia Spezia

SANTA MARTA - ZECCA VECCHIA

MILAN, ITALY
The two sites in question are located in the district known as ‘Le Cinque Vie’, one of the oldest areas of the city, where buildings have been transformed over the centuries through successive stratifications, creating an environment in which historic buildings coexist with modern additions resulting from post-war reconstructions.
The project involves the reconstruction of the buildings on the two opposite corners of Via del Bollo: the building at Via Zecca Vecchia 2 overlooks Piazza San Sepolcro, while the property at Via Santa Marta 1 is one of the cornerstones of ‘Le Cinque Vie’. The buildings are predominantly residential with a commercial area on the ground floor and an internal distribution of space with different types of apartments on the upper floors.
Externally, the envelope will be adapted to the current state of the site and the architecture of the façades facing the public street will be enhanced. In general, the typical order and division of full and empty spaces is maintained, with some possible variations to testify to the contemporary nature of the building. The adaptation of the windows to the typology and the use of shutters housed in light splays characterise the façades, while maintaining the traditional vertical division: basement, façade, cornice and roof.
The intention was thus to demonstrate a tension between the contemporary and the traditional, and a kind of cross-referencing with possible variations, proposing, as in the architecture of Caccia Dominioni and Magistretti in the area, an alternation of plaster and stone parts in light tones with full-height windows and doors that emphasise the internal spatiality overlooking the public space typical of the evolution of the old town.
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
CREDITS
YEAR: 2022-
LOCATION: Milan
Type: Residential
CUSTOMER: CREAMI SRL
CONSULTANTS: Luca Lazzari, Giulia Spezia

VIA SASSI 4

MILAN, ITALY
The project concerns the proposal for the comprehensive redevelopment of the existing building located at Via Sassi 4, Milan. The property consists of a simple building with a regular layout adapted to fit the neighbouring buildings, its main façade facing the internal section of the plot that it stands on, which is characterised by green space.
As it was originally part of a medical complex belonging to Milan’s local health authority, the architecture of the façades is simple, with the full and empty spaces arranged in a regular rhythm and wholly lacking in decorative elements.
Whilst the property in question does not directly overlook the public street, it borders with the north cloister of the monumental complex of Santa Maria delle Grazie and its shorter side, which faces south, rises a full three storeys higher than the roof of the cloister.
The project involves the general renovation of the building without disturbing the volume and its prominent original silhouette. The property shall remain for residential use, but offer a different internal layout of the residential units, creating apartments of various typologies as well as adding a new stairwell with a lift.
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
CREDITS
YEAR: 2018 – in progress
LOCATION: Milan
TIPOLOGY: Residential complex
CLIENT: Sigiliz S.r.l.
COLLABORATORS: Francesca Romanò, Elena Codazzi

VIA RUGGERI TOWER

MILAN, ITALY
The redevelopment of the plot in question takes the form of the creation of a complex for free residential use comprising two buildings – a low inline building and a tower – organised in a largely open layout and nestled in a vast communal garden. The alignments and relationships inferred from the surroundings define the precise locations of the two building units, with a view to establishing a suitable dialogue with recent neighbouring construction projects and stable urban relationships with the wider context.
The residential portion of the complex contains not only apartments, but also spaces for shared use, and has high-performance and impressively environmentally-sustainable construction features.
The architecture of the façades has rational forms lent a certain dynamism by their orientation, thus carving out a private habitat that is protected yet, at the same time, turned towards the exclusive setting that it is part of.
The lower urban building and territorial tower block are linked thanks to the distinctive design of the private garden, which is intended to form an extension of the park, and they reinforce the hierarchy of the two parts, first and foremost by placing the main entrance in the linear unit on Via Ruggeri and arranging the tower in the centre of the plot; the elevation of the tower that faces the park is shaped by a progressively rising series of openings and loggias which characterise the entire façade. Another particularly distinctive feature of the design comes in the form of the façades made up of alternating planted balconies, which dialogue with the green surroundings.
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
CREDITS
YEAR: 2021-2022
LOCATION: Milan
TIPOLOGY: Residential complex
CLIENT: Beni Reali
LANDSCAPE: Studio AG&P Milan
COLLABORATORS: Cecilia Bottoni, Francesca Da Pozzo, Simona De Capitani, Beatrice Ravicini Bressi

DONIZZETTI THEATRE

BERGAMO, ITALY
The architectural restoration and renovation of the Teatro Donizetti is first and foremost the result of the need to bring it into line with contemporary safety and fire prevention standards; indeed, to this day, the building falls short of the suitability requirements as it lacks the necessary compartmentalisation, the systems are obsolete, and the furnishings and coverings do not have the necessary certifications.
Aside from this significant technical aspect of the job, the volume of the theatre itself – with the exception of the monumental façade – does not meet the decorative quality standards for the historical urban fabric of the ‘Lower City’ due to the various parts that have been added over the years without any coordinated plan, not to mention the presence of the unfinished volume of the fly tower.
As such, alongside efforts to bring the theatre up to regulatory standards and streamline its functions, it is also necessary to carry out an overarching architectural intervention capable of breathing new life into this prominent public landmark.
The functional renovation
The primary restoration work will, of course, be focused on the theatre hall, the system of entrances and foyers, and the connections of all floors open to the public; furthermore, major transformations of the basement level will allow for a complete redesign of the audience toilet areas beneath the stalls, the creation of rehearsal and dressing rooms for the orchestra adjacent to the orchestra pit, and the upgrading of the carpentry, facilities and dressing rooms connected to the understage area. In terms of functions, the project mainly involves the extension of the cluster of dressing rooms attached to the stage on the Piazza Cavour side, as well as the relocation of all the offices into the west wing (both the theatre offices and those of the Donizetti Foundation, along with their reception rooms and archives). The garden side of Piazza Cavour will also be home to the new box office/bookshop, with a brand-new bar opening onto the gardens and new flights of emergency stairs also being added on both sides of the historical building. In the west wing, on the upper terrace of the Ridotto dei Pizzigoni, there will be a glass pavilion to be used as a multipurpose hall for banquets and events of various kinds, which will allow for the historical halls on the first floor to be freed up as much as possible. Inside the theatre, the new distribution of the functions will result in a substantial improvement in both the typology and the uses of the various service and audience sections, although there are currently no plans for the creation of new stage machinery in the complex.

The renovation of the external façades
The side elevations have been designed in the pursuit of formal coherence between the existing volumes and the new additions so as to make the theatre’s architectural image homogeneous and contemporary, respecting the historical parts and, at the same time – as far as possible – the existing openings by standardising their shape. As such, the architectural image will largely be that of simple volumetric masses, with the lower sections of the buildings clad with local grey stone (Ceppo or similar) laid in a brickwork pattern for the base and vertically diversified on the upper floors by using light, matte modular elements (in a reconstituted porcelain material such as Kerlite) in pinkish hues similar to the existing structure and alternated in line with the openings; the order of the façades will effectively be redesigned to include the new stairwells, thus covering up the irregularities of the ramps. In particular, the façade facing Piazza Cavour is being redesigned to mark out the presence of the auditorium and rehearsal rooms, as well as the entrance to the box office and new bar, creating a sense of continuity that also embraces the new dressing room cluster by means of a regular, ordered series of doors and windows and ‘pilasters’ marked only by the stringcourses. In the design proposal, the volume housing the stage will be regularised and clad in colourful fibre cement panels, also incorporating the existing sloping pitches by way of a lightweight continuous external roof set at the maximum height of the smoke vent skylight. With this, the entire tower will be given a simple yet unique image within the urban context, marked only by strips of soft light installed flush with the wall. The space of the new pavilion/restaurant, built on the flat roof of the Ridotto, will be lent a certain lightness in the form of a bright, transparent glasshouse that complements the terrace with the pergola.

The restoration work
The planned works involve the restoration and conservation of all the monumental parts of the building, with a particular focus on the theatre hall and the entrance foyer and not including the historical monumental façades, which were only recently restored separately. The theatre hall will have to be brought into line with regulatory standards in terms of fire safety. As such, the intention is to undertake a complete restoration of all the furnishings, including the fixed seats in the stalls and the movable seats in the boxes, which are currently a variety of types. All the upholstery in the boxes, along with the carpets, curtains and trimmings, will also be replaced. The wooden floors must be treated with suitable impregnating agents to ensure that they fall into the required fire resistance class. The fronts of the boxes overlooking the auditorium will undergo some minor cleaning work, as will the decorated ceiling, whilst there will be a comprehensive overhaul of all the light fixtures present – including the central chandelier – to bring them up to standard, preserving and adapting the historical ones whilst replacing the more recent installations. In much the same vein, the entrance foyer will also be restored with a relatively conservative approach.

The building systems
In the context of the theatre’s renovation, there are plans to overhaul all of its electrical and mechanical systems, with access and installation being as delicate as possible with regard to the historical volume.
AIR CONDITIONING: there are plans to install heat pumps for both warm and cool air, which will then be channelled through ducts distributed as widely as possible throughout the building. These same pumps will be used to heat the domestic hot water, thus reclaiming the heat dissipated by the cooling equipment in the summer months.
FIRE PREVENTION: the entire area covered by the works will be fitted with water-based fire extinguishing systems by installing a pressurisation unit and a water storage tank.
FM AND SPECIAL LIGHTING: the system will be redesigned by installing new, energy-efficient light fixtures and restoring the historical light features (such as the central chandelier).
MONITORING: a sophisticated remote monitoring network covering all the building systems will be installed, meaning that all the spaces can be managed more safely and effectively.
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES: wherever possible, the installation of solar heating for domestic hot water and photovoltaic panels for the production of electricity will be the preferred option. The use of high-efficiency heat pumps with thermal energy recovery systems is nonetheless considered a renewable energy source and offers an excellent contribution to minimising CO2 emissions to the outside environment.
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
CREDITS
YEAR: 2006-2020
LOCATION: Bergamo
TIPOLOGY: Restoration and expansion of the theatre
CLIENT: City of Bergamo
WITH: Studio Berlucchi
COLLABORATORS: Elisa Codenotti, Maurizio Fagiuoli

PIAZZETTA PATTARI 2

MILAN, ITALY
The project involves the functional redevelopment for hospitality purposes of the existing building, currently for commercial use, which is owned by Reale Immobili S.p.A. It will also be connected to the existing, adjacent Starhotels Rosa Grand hotel in Piazza Fontana, which is the future single manager of the hotel complex as a whole.
The building’s architecture is characterised by a modern rationalist language largely featuring homogeneous materials (stone coverings and facing bricks, plaster, metal or painted wood windows and doors, Ceppo stone coping and windowsills, painted iron parapets) in which the predominant colour is the gentle grey of the stone and the pink of the facing bricks on the uppermost floors, which are set back from the façade.
The project involves the construction of new hotel rooms over the various floors, an extension of the 5th-floor suites with a connection to the 6th floor, and the complete refurbishment of the flat roof, as well as its connection to the neighbouring Starhotels hotel.
Internal works.
The various levels are connected by means of a new lift located within the adjoining Starhotels building, with the lobby areas on the ground floor – with their own reception services – serving as the main guest entrance. The service entrances and emergency exits, meanwhile, give onto Piazzetta Pattari, with their current features and layout broadly remaining as they are. From the first floor to the fourth floor, there are new guest rooms with varying layouts (double rooms, mini-suites and suites) which can also be joined together, all mainly overlooking Via Pattari; the rooms are arranged along a central hallway that is served by stairwells and service rooms. Each level includes on average five large suites and four double rooms, two of which can be connected to the central suites so as to form mini-apartments. All in all, 40 new guest rooms have been planned. The typological arrangements designed for the hotel guarantee a high degree of flexibility and versatility; in particular, the extension of the fifth floor takes the form of three suites, one overlooking Piazzetta Pattari and two on Via Pattari, each complete with its own private terrace shielded from view thanks to their being set back from the façades. Each suite is organized into a large living room, a bedroom with a spacious bathroom en suite, and a service kitchenette. The fifth floor can also be connected to the sixth floor by means of a new, freestanding staircase with a distinctive architectural style, allowing the floor lobbies and two suites to be joined together if desired to form a vast two-level ‘penthouse’. The construction of the new independent staircase connecting the 5th and 6th floors involves the demolition and closure of the existing one, which will also allow for the lounge area on the 6th floor to be enlarged by incorporating a new lift to link the two levels.

External works.
The main façade on Via Pattari will be restored by means of a series of operations, including restoration of the materials and cleaning of the stone coverings. Broadly speaking, this will see the existing stone sections undergo a simple cleaning and all the doors and windows being replaced, maintaining the overall composition of full and empty spaces in the façade. Meanwhile, the enclosure of the new volume on the fifth floor – constructed with a lightweight steel structure and set back from the existing façade – will consist of a continuous series of large windows in order to lighten the visual impact of the extension, whilst also improving the outward views over the cathedral. The outdoor paving will be softened by the addition of greenery, making them usable as terraces serving the suites.
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
CREDITS
YEAR: 2017-2020
LOCATION: Milan
TIPOLOGY: Restructuring and extension
CLIENTE: Reale Immobili S.p.a.
COLLABORATORS: Marco Gualandris, Gabriella Crirì

PRESTIGE COLLECTION PIAZZA SANT'AMBROGIO 4

MILAN, ITALY
The building is part of the continuous façade of buildings between Via Carducci and Piazza Sant’Ambrogio reconstructed in the early post-WWII years following the destruction caused by the 1943 bombings. A magnificent urban backdrop made up of independent buildings in one of the most iconic, age-old parts of Milan’s historical centre. Whilst still fully respecting Luigi Mattioni’s original building, this project allowed for its complete redevelopment, with the thoroughly dignified redecoration not only of the interiors and the entrance system, but also of the top two levels of the building – set back from the street – and the public façade as a whole.
The building’s initial intended use as a residential block has been retained and it is planned to house upscale flats overlooking the square, all with high-quality finishes, partially or fully furnished, complete with exclusive common spaces such as a gym and an advanced concierge service. The idea of decorative greenery – in the context of the redevelopment of the building – is complementary to the architecture and lends quality and added value to the renovation, particularly the top two floors and the paved section of the roof, which offers an exclusive view over the city in total privacy.
The building has two entrances. The main entrance, located at Piazza Sant’Ambrogio 4, has been physically separated from the adjacent driveway by means of stained glass windows and wood panelling to redesign the conception of the space. The entrance at Galleria Borella 2, meanwhile, has been enlarged and provided with more natural light; both are fitted with a monitoring and service system managed by the main concierge. The ground and mezzanine floors have been reorganised, optimising the commercial and office spaces, whilst certain sections have been set aside for exclusive, such as foyers and a fitness room with changing room.
Equally careful attention was required here when dealing with the Galleria Borella: a private space that is, however, used as a public pedestrian thoroughfare, with the conservation project restoring the splendour of yesteryear to a commercial gallery with high footfall and visibility. The two foyers offer a transition into architectural spaces whose design reinterprets the style of 1950s Milanese architecture with the use of stone, wood panelling, glass and gilded finishes intended to highlight the towering heights of the interior ceilings. Typologically speaking, the upper floors have been designed to house apartments of a variety of sizes and room shapes; broadly, the first and second floors have been divided up into smaller living units (one- and two-bedroom flats), with the higher levels the preserve of much larger, double-sided flats with an exclusive view over Sant’Ambrogio. Overall, a total of 21 residential units have been built, all equipped with a cellar and with 21 garages available (14 of which are in the nearby car park in Piazza Sant’Ambrogio), including 3 with electric car charging points. The top floor – built by raising the useable internal height from 2.4 to 2.7 metres – has been arranged into two prestigious apartments with linear terraces, both connected to the exceptional paved rooftop garden, which features pergolas and Jacuzzis offering views of the Milan skyline as far as the eye can see.
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
CREDITS
YEAR: 2016-2019
LOCATION: Milan
TIPOLOGY: Residential complex
CLIENT: Reale Immobili S.p.a.
COLLABORATOR: Gabriella Crirì

VIA PASINETTI

MILAN, ITALY
Building replacement project involving expansion and change of intended use from industrial/commercial to residential.
There are plans for two underground levels for parking and basement spaces, accessible via three stairwells and the lift that serves the building, as well as a vehicular ramp with access from Via Pasinetti.
The ground floor, along with the atrium, is home to a commercial space and shared areas for exclusive use of the building’s residents (common rooms, delivery room, gym) all designed for close interaction with the internal garden, which features planted flowerbeds interspersed with trees and bushes in an effort to soften the boundary wall.
Also on the ground floor are two apartments, the larger of which has its own private garden. The first three floors are largely organised into single-fronted studio and one-bedroom flats with views of the public street and, through large loggias, the garden. At the very edges of the building are two-bedroom flats with views on two sides. From the fourth floor upwards, meanwhile, there are larger apartments with a variety of unit types, all with double loggias which also characterise the composition of the façades. The roof of the building is paved, organised into private terraces complete with pergolas, each belonging to the four apartments on the sixth floor.
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
CREDITS
YEAR: 2021 – in progress
LOCATION: Milan
TIPOLOGY: Residential complex
CLIENT: Pasinetti S.r.l.
COLLABORATORS: Cecilia Bottoni, Luca Lazzari

CASCINAMERLATA EUROMILANO

MILAN, ITALY
The R08 residential unit boasts a privileged location within the new urban settlement of Cascina Merlata, establishing an equally engaging visual dialogue with both the ‘Boulevard’ and the central ‘Piazza’, and particularly with its views towards the City Park, characterised by irregular and rounded shapes which become the original focal point for the design of the open spaces. The theory underpinning the balconies and terraces – which, many and varied, are scattered across all sides of the buildings – directs them both towards the complex’s internal garden and outwards, towards the vast park, promoting a relationship with the green spaces, both visually appealing and usable, which becomes a fundamental element of the architecture.
As such, there is a spectacular opportunity to develop the residential space into an innovative urban and naturalistic environment in which greenery and views meld and multiply almost kaleidoscopically and in which water, already present as a supporting framework of sorts, takes the spotlight as the decorative pool at its heart. The aim is therefore to further improve the relationship of the block – dedicated to free construction – with the public park in particular, which must make full use of its potential in terms of private green spaces as well as those open to the public.
The hallmark of the R08 cluster is the Large Green Arch leading from the Boulevard into the heart of the block itself, in homage to Portaluppi’s urban architecture, which is echoed and adjusted in the new landscaping system. The architecture, meanwhile, is modelled after a clear constructive definition which picks up on the expertise of Milanese masters such as Magistretti, Mangiarotti and Gardella, in which rationalism meets elegance in interpretations of the suburban residence.
The residential complex is made up of two buildings in a line – one along the Boulevard, the other along the Piazza – a Tower, and a handful of more secluded buildings. There are plans for three levels of underground parking spanning the entire lot, with the first two serving the R08 complex and the third earmarked for the required parking spaces for hire on a rotating basis. The proposal is based on the morphological variety of the buildings and the extensive typological flexibility of the residential units, with the aim of creating a broad selection of living options: as such, the ground floors of the two buildings in line are intended to house neighbourhood commercial premises overlooking the Boulevard and the Piazza respectively, whilst the southern corner will feature a lounge bar/restaurant with views of the park, as well. On the ground level of the secluded buildings, there will be dedicated co-working spaces looking out onto the public green area, whilst the penthouse floors are set back into the roof and surrounded by panoramic, plant-lined terraces. Inside the Tower, meanwhile, is a wealth of valuable common spaces, such as a spa with swimming pool and a children’s play area, each equipped with its own private garden which, whilst separate from the public green space, exists in continuity with it. The new residential complex is designed according to the principles of environmental sustainability and energy saving, rooted in the idea of synergy between building and facilities, between architecture and engineering, with a view to comprehensive integration not only to ensure that every space can be enjoyed to the fullest, but also to optimise the energy efficiency of two worlds often treated as discrete. Specific design measures will also ensure that the building reaches the Green target.
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
CREDITS
YEAR: 2022
LOCATION: Milan
TIPOLOGY: Residential complex
CLIENT: Euromilano
LANDSCAPE: Studio Bortolotti
COLLABORATORS: Cecilia Bottoni, Francesca da Pozzo, Luca Lazzari
RENDERING: Solum Studio

TEATRO CIVICO DI RHO DI ROBERTO DE SILVA

MILAN, ITALY

The construction of the new Rho theatre in the hinterland near Milan, represents an operation of considerable civic and social value. It is destined, not only for the town, but in a wider sense, for the entire Lombardy catchment area, designed to cater to multiple cultural demands. Based on these requisites, the project has focused on providing maximum flexibility; the use of the structure and its spaces are designed to offer a large variety of configurations in answer to a wide range of functional requirements, creating a theatre that represents the hub of cultural and social life.

Based on these aspects, the integration of the theatre in an urban setting, in the centre of the rehabilitation plan for the ex-Diana de Silva area, is aimed at emphasising its impact, with its metallic outer skin and transparent glass, as an autonomous and recognizable element that determines its surroundings. It creates an impact on the road towards Sempione, and towards the new public square soon to be constructed

The project concept was pragmatically calculated to construct a building with contained maintenance and management costs, and instead of offering a structure with a limited specialised function, it was designed as a multi-purpose theatre. The architects decided to create a small transformable complex where the various public spaces ― main theatre and foyer, could be used for exhibitions, performances and events.

Special attention was paid to designing the main theatre and providing flexibility for the available space, resolved with the construction of a dual configuration: on one side, a traditional theatrical arrangement with a classical stage separated from the public, and on the other, a layout where the stage is integrated within the public seating, offering spectators far greater participation. The double height entrance foyer was designed as a multifunction space; the initial scenographic entrance area provides access to the lower floor. Here the large area which houses a bar and the ticket office is also arranged to host exhibitions and events thanks to its proximity to the space smaller than the main theatre, for a limited public, designed for multimedia events.

TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
CREDITS

YEAR: 2012-2021
LOCATION: Milan
TYPOLOGY: New auditorium former Diana de Silva area
CLIENT: Bracco RE and City of Rho
LANDSCAPE: Studio Banfi & Pezzetta and Studio Andrea Gola
COLLABORATORS: Gabriella Cricrì, Maurizio Fagiuoli

CAPO MALFATANO MASTERPLAN

TEULADA, SARDINIA
The new masterplan for the tourist hotel complex realized by S.I.T.A.S. in the town of Teulada is inserted in the environmental context protected by Cape Malfatano located at the extreme southwestern point of Sardegna 50 km from Cagliari. An environment almost totally natural and of wild beauty where the coast is marked by inlets, promontories, gulfs and natural ports which protect the small white sand beaches which dot the coast from strong winds, and where the local typography is also varied with hills alternating with flat lands highlighted by bodies of water: the first are exceptional view points, and the second are passageways that open towards the sea.
In this setting, where the sea and the rural country are main characters, the operation of building the hotel and residential S.I.T.A.S. is realized respecting the obligations and landscape of the town of Teulada, honouring the protected zone of 300 and 500 meters from the sea and softening these with green service areas integrated with natural ones.
The plan is made up of various sections served by the Cagliari-Teulada coastal road and proposes different groups of buildings and villas of low visual impact to valorize the existing landscape making reference to typical local historical buildings present in the territory, and focusing on a sustainable architecture, very prestigious, but not in contrast with nature.
From an architectural point of view the main reference is the “furriadroxiu”, and the examples of colonial buildings of the agricultural landscape: typologies of historical villages of the territory of Teulada more or less complex in which also the outdoor spaces of orchards and vegetable gardens are part of the whole plan. In these examples outdoor courtyards or villages prevail, always integrating the natural landscape with the built landscape. The buildings designed are mainly two-floor buildings, always adapted to and following the curves of the land. The intervention is divided into different parts: hotel, private residence and service areas; further interventions are planned. Forms and materials are taken from tradition, and remodeled in a modernity based on elegance and minimal linearity, and not excluding exceptional elements experimenting a new significance for antique places.
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
CREDITS
YEAR: 2008
LOCATION: Teulada, Sardinia
TIPOLOGY: Master planning
CLIENT: S.I.T.A.S. S.R.L.
COLLABORATOR: Studio Sergi

CAMOGLI THEATER

CAMOGLI, ITALY
The project for the public theatre in Camogli is characterized by the logical thread of the restoration of the building regarding both the architecture and the range of materials; the few new elements were realized using traditional local materials. The operation is therefore aimed at and adapted to a building which, even if it has a historical importance, from an architectural point of view, is simple and limited in its context. Revolutionary proposals of renovation were not present made, but those more focused on improving the existing elements.
Also from an aesthetic point of view the work is characterized by the maximum precision and a formal minimalism adapted to the context of the theatre. The building is substantially a single volume divided into three parts: the lobby, “Cavea” and the stage.
The architecture of theatrical “Cavea” conserves the original décor in light, tone on tone colors with delicate gold-plating, while the floors were realized in noble wood. The seats and the lamps have been modernized with a sober style so as not to abuse the historic elements of the room.
The work done on the facade is all inspired by the restoration of the existing one. Only on the front behind the stage, minimal work was done to regularize the few openings and give form to the external forestage on the technical level of “sotto-graticcia”. The roof has been conserved in its original form and neat attic rooms were realized, placed symmetrically according to the slopes of the roof to allow the correct ventilation and light in the rooms underneath.
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
CREDITS
YEAR: 2006-2016
LOCATION: Camogli, Italy
CLIENT: FONDAZIONE TEATRO SOCIALE DI CAMOGLI
COLLABORATORS: Studio Berlucchi
ACOUSTIC DESIGN TEAM: Jurgen Reinhold, Mueller bbm
PHOTOGRAPHS: Leo Torri

BENETTON EX UNION HOTEL

PRISTINA, KOSOVO
The former Hotel Union, historic building almost completely destroyed by fire in 2009, today is related as an isolated building, with a new and almost monumental character, to the urban development created by the new square on Boulevard Madre Teresa. In its unified recovery project for adapting it to the new Benetton commercial spaces two souls co-exist. One is the restoration of its main façades and its protected traditional gables, the other is the design of the new fronts on the square through a measured extension and a new stone façade faced with Vratza limestone, composed as a large model of an architectural order that is doubled by being mirrored in a water court.
The extension completes and unites the existing volumes. Its independence is emphasized by glazed clefts that open up to reveal the retail spaces and the core of the new escalators.
These tall windows rise to the building’s full height, forming slits of light that dialogue in the roof with a new crowning volume, also made of glass, with soft, sinuous lines, a sort of curvilinear lantern that scenically completes the elevation on the square while remaining within the outline of the roof laid with zinc sheets.
With the completion of the project there are no longer a principal front and a residual rear, but there is a complex architectural organism which can be traversed from end to end and is well suited to the new order of open spaces around it. It also bears witness to the quality of the brand.
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
CREDITS
YEAR: 2008-2013
LOCATION: Pristina – Kosovo
TYPOLOGY: Retail spaces and offices
CLIENT: Benetton Real Estate International S.a.
COLLABORATORS: Francesca Romanò, Giulia Zambon

MOUNT ROYAL VILLA 23

CANOUAN - SAINT VINCENT AND GRENADINE
Located in the headland overlooking Point De Jour Bay, the villa has an extremely privileged position to enjoy Canouan’s nature, and an view which includes the lagoon and the coral reef. Open spaces, walls in natural stone, and areas characterized by wood and glass are put together and developed in sequence along the longitudinal axis of the villa starting at the great central living area which becomes the fulcrum of the composition.
Each subdivision of the villa follows a precise hierarchy and has a special view which interacts with the landscape and with the ample surrounding external areas. Every room is independent and suitably private, maintaining a close relationship with the panorama, highlighted by a rational staggering to respect the main area of the villa.
The architecture of the complex promotes a progressive and total involvement with nature through spaces protected by pergolas with great disappearing panoramic windows and outdoor living areas mostly facing the sea offering a highly scenic effect.
The Garden
From the parking area, modelled and mitigated in the vegetation, access to the property is through a garden by way of a green pathway which gradually absorbs the slopes and leads to an open courtyard, a truly welcoming area, with wooden floors and marked by a basin with a fountain, pergolas, and by an entrance porch. This large open yet protected space filters the nature in a controlled and progressive way, first through the central living area and surrounding rooms and also embraces the panoramic terrace. The main terrace with a rectangular infinity pool is opposite the living area and blends into the maritime background glorifying the panoramic view. The series of terraces is completed by a wooden deck protected by pergolas with welcoming areas and areas of relax, becoming a sort of lookout point immersed in the green.
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
CREDITS
YEAR: 2016
LOCATION: Canouan – Saint Vincent and the Grenadine
TYPOLOGY: Villa
CLIENT: Private client
WITH: Arch. Elena Borsa Architetti
COLLABORATORS: Valeria Matteri, Andrea Piatti, Sara Puglia, Giulio Ubini

MARGUTTA 19

ROME, ITALY
Realized in an antique building with private garden in the heart of the historical center of Roma, this small elegant hotel at the foot of the “Pincio” is the setting of a project of radical reconstruction of the interiors which interprets the classic atmosphere of the capital in this place named “the foreigners district”. The hotel is made up of a 4-storey building divided into luxury suites with a ground floor for public use connected to its own garden which extends on a slope and ends with a cottage with roof-top terrace.
The whole building being restricted, the project was developed with small internal changes finalized in the improvement of the typologies of the existing rooms and intervening decisively with a new interior design.
In this way, a classic modern idea for the rooms is promoted tied to a base made of smooth surfaces (mostly plaster) to which are joined wooden and gold coverings that find a balance in the colors of the tone on tone walls (from whites to greys) and warmer and soft tones.
The public areas of the hotel, marked by important elements like the counter at the reception and in the lounge-bar, classically interpret the modern style, and have different pavements: they are essentially Venetian terrazzo along the corridors and the welcoming areas while they become oak planks in the restaurant and living areas. Classic settings and refined materials give life to a radical renovation creating a modern, luxurious hotel with an international and highly romantic atmosphere.
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
CREDITS
YEAR: 2018-2019
LOCATION: Rome
TYPOLOGY: Restructuring and interior design
CLIENT: Private client
WITH: Studio Berlucchi
INTERIOR DESIGN WITH: Nicola Gallizia
COLLABORATORS: Gabriella Cricrì, Giulia Salvioni

MOUNT ROYAL VILLA 24

CANOUAN - SAINT VINCENT AND GRENADINE
Placed on a hillside of the headland overlooking Point De Jour Bay, the villa has an extremely privileged position, enjoying Canouan’s nature and a view overlooking the bay and the coral reef. Open spaces, walls in natural stone or in rough concrete, and areas characterized by wood and glass are blended and articulated in sequence along a covered and shaded walkway that serves as a backbone of the villa and to which the hierarchy of all the spaces refers to. A linear design creates a varied articulation of open and closed spaces, all private and protected, complementary and almost wrapped in the green vegetation.
The villa is arranged in various volumes and occupies the entire length of the property on several levels connected by low steps that characterize the architecture of the exterior spaces. Each section of the villa follows a precise hierarchy and has a special view that interacts with the landscape and with the ample surrounding external areas. Every room is independent and suitably private, maintaining a close relationship with the panorama, highlighted by a rational change of level to respect the main area of the villa.
The service core with kitchen, laundry and an additional bedroom is placed independently in the inner part of the property, separated from the main building of the villa by a central patio. The architecture of the complex promotes a progressive and total involvement with nature through spaces protected by pergolas, with large concealed panoramic windows and outdoor living areas mostly facing the sea, offering a highly scenic effect.
The Garden
The upper level of the garden connects the road with the main entrance; this core part consists of a large patio where lush vegetation creates an outdoor space with a sitting area for relaxing in the shade. From here it is possible to enter the villa through the open living room, reaching the other side towards the landscape and the infinity pool looking out to the sea. The entire complex is surrounded by bushes to emphasize this natural landscape. Some roofs are covered with low vegetation that seems to connect the architecture with the rest of the garden. Privacy is guaranteed by dense patches of ornamental plants that separate one side of the block from another and by shrubs towards the surrounding road. A large common area, located in a lower position between the two main volumes of the villa, consists of a wooden deck with auxiliary kitchen, dining area, panoramic living room and a relaxing solarium all shaded by pergolas. The variety of trees in the garden considers the constant trade winds of the island and maintains an effort to incorporate native, mature foliage. This way the original vegetation of the surroundings is recreated while the garden maintains a unique identity.
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
CREDITS
YEAR: 2016
LOCATION: Canouan – Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
TYPOLOGY: Villa
CLIENT: Private client
WITH: Arch. Elena Borsa Architetti
COLLABORATORS: Valeria Matteri, Andrea Piatti, Sara Puglia, Giulio Ubini

STADSHAVEN

Hasselt – Limburg, Belgium
Despite being part of a single large complex, the intention is to create a place on a human scale, capable of relating to the urban scale of the city by presenting a composed architectural variety which relates to modernity and the present with its materials, colors and details.
The building is divided essentially into three sections on the street front. It repairs the city block in direct contact with the historic city by means of the boulevard and overlooks the new retail street traversed by a tramline.
The building is designed with a contemporary architecture that emphasizes the relation with natural light by means of large terraces which characterize its masses. The architectural definition of the corner is the principal theme which stamps its character on the building’s relation to the city and the panoramic view over the canal port.
The materials on the exteriors seek to exploit the masses and reproduce an urban architectural variety, with the central parts alternating brickwork and rust-colored clinker paneling with lighter and more refined areas of stonework focused in particular on the curve and at the more prominent end. The whole is characterized by a high degree of transparency, given the large windows and the parapets of the loggias, while the terraces of the penthouses on the top level are enhanced by greenery contained in metal planters incorporated into the parapets.
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
CREDITS
YEAR: 2013-2018
LOCATION: Hasselt – Limburg – Belgium
TYPOLOGY: Residential complex
CLIENT: Chataux Real Estate
WITH: De Gregorio & Partners and Arch. Andrea Leonardi
COLLABORATOR: Simona De Capitani

DOUBLE TREE BY HILTON HOTEL

MOGLIANO VENETO, ITALY
The project concerns the semicircular courtyard fronting the hotel’s restaurant, delimited by a covered passage that leads to the structure and an existing banquets hall. The space has been completely renovated by designing an equipped garden that has a prevalent green relationship and is made up of covered areas, almost like islands, protected by pergolas. Thus giving greater living and privacy in the outdoor spaces of the restaurant, dividing them with a sophisticated plant shield.
From the new flowering border of the banquet hall that is the backdrop to the court, it takes shape an archipelago of spaces ordered by a central service island with a lounge bar and surrounded by other pavilions from sitting and staying. More defiled, an open-air dance area or free activities has been maintained. The pergolas, with their own metallic structure, are completely open to the sides and have a flat shaded cover with swinging sunscreen slats and curtains. The living area floorings are made of exterior wood type “Green-wood” to form a kind of rug.
The green system is mainly composed of linear flowerbeds with box hedges that replace the old cobblestone paths while vertical walls and separations are used to properly screen one side of the gazebos. To embellish the free area are placed single-plant pots along with a vertical green backdrop made up of wooden pilasters. The paths have been partially kept in stone while the free activity area is in “Piasentina” stone with flamed finish.
The lighting has been studied by alternating wall and recessed spotlights with floor lamps to create a sophisticated and enveloping environment. All furnishings, including the circular bar counter and the structure of the pergolas, are repositionable.
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
CREDITS
YEAR: 2015
LOCATION: Mogliano Veneto
TYPOLOGY: Reorganization of the public space
LANDSCAPE: Studio AG&P Milano
CLIENT: Private client
COLLABORATOR: Giulia Salvioni

VIA PRESOLANA 6

MILAN, ITALY
The intervention concerns the construction of a new residential building with the characteristics of a “non-hotel accommodation facility”. It is a single building composed of two simple volumes intersected orthogonally between them. The main building completes the road curtain in Via Presolana and develops in L-shape, taking up the height of the neighbouring structures.
The new building has a simple and modular typology that develops in an overlapping L plan; it is served by two stairwells (one with a lift) located at its ends and a barycentric ascent nucleus with a double lift that connects the various floors. The levels are organized through a side corridor that distributes to the various housing units. The project involves the construction of a basement level, which affects almost the entire property area, essentially for use as a private car park (21 garages and 11 parking spaces).
The architecture has a linear and minimalist language, marked by string courses that wrap around the whole building so as to give continuity. The elevations are however differentiated: the one on the public road is more compact and those facing on private green spaces are more open and light. Particular attention has been given to the corner of via Presolana which takes on an almost sculptural appearance. Inside the lot there is also a private garden overlooking the rooms’ loggias, which is positive and pleasant also for the surrounding buildings, composed of paved areas and a careful quality of the greenery.
A total of 55 housing units of approximately 30 square meters were planned; each unit has loggias of about 8-10 square meters facing the courtyard or garden areas. The distribution corridor assumes almost the value of an architectural promenade.
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
CREDITS
YEAR: 2017-in progress
LOCATION: Milan
TYPOLOGY: Residential complex
CLIENT: Presolana Sei S.r.l.
COLLABORATORS: Andrea Piatti, Giulia Zambon

SANTA MARIA ALLA PORTA 9

MILAN, ITALY
The project involves the buildings of the ancient courtyard complex at 9 Via Santa Maria alla Porta, particularly those on the innermost part of the lot with their courtyard and associated buildings overlooking the archaeological excavations in Via Brisa and the new square planned at the foot of the fifteenth-century Gorani Tower. This operation entails converting what remains of the walls of the old stables of the complex, seen today as the back of the existing building, into a new scenic front of the public space.
The project proposes the demolition of the existing accretions, so freeing the original arches, which give a form to the reconstruction of the property while incorporating the existing courtyard. In plan, the building develops on two levels with a system of distribution adapted to the shops on the ground floor and the residential units above.
The integration of the building was conceived by devoting particular attention to the treatment of the masonry fabric that identifies various periods and also the new construction. The arrangement of the elevations on the new square has also been extended to the small residential building with a triangular plan that completes the courtyard.
The treatment of the front of this simply plastered block facing the new square included the recovery of the fountain belonging to the garden of the lost Palazzo Gorani, allowing for its location. The building operations proposed necessarily involve the redesign of the façades in question both inside the lot and those overlooking public spaces. In particular, the design of the green areas is a regenerative element which complements the rebuilt architecture, giving a new meaning to the quality of the insertion.
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
CREDITS
YEAR: 2007
LOCATION: Milan
TYPOLOGY: Residential complex
CLIENT: Società edilizia SMP
COLLABORATORS: Pietro Porro, Giovannino Casu, Paolo De Biase

EXPO VIABILITY

MILAN, ITALY
The system of roadways, made up of parts in tunnels, parts on an embankment, and parts on an overpass, was conceived as a single architectural unit, continuous and winding, and fits in with the nature and the construction found in Lombardy and with that of the immediate surroundings. It is inspired by the tortuous morphology of the waterways, by the skyline of the mountains that surround the area, and more abstractly by the legendary emblem of the regional capital of Lombardy.
The result is a dynamic form, almost animalistic, which starts from the ground, lightly touches the waters that confine Expo, passing over the traffic of the principle highways, capable of generating positive connections between the parts by limiting the pillars that support them, with the goal of reconnecting, or at least giving order to an urban landscape which is difficult, but at the same time rich in diversity and potential. The qualifying proposal of this project is the realization of a modern structure which evokes the dynamism of the metropolis ever reaching out to the international scene, even beyond Expo 2015. The shape of the infrastructure proposed, more than being the new northwest entrance to Milan proposes a new territorial vision which makes the favorable impact it has on the landscape it’s added value.
The bridge is meant to be a single construction with particular territorial value, while the part leading to Expo takes on exceptional value and is proposed almost like a permanent exhibition of land-art. Leaving the overpasses of the highway, the three central ramps of the roads corresponding to the eastern side of the fair grounds have a direct rapport with the waterways surrounding the fairgrounds, with the area dedicated to biodiversity (greenhouses and hills) and naturally with the structures connected to the north-eastern entrance. It is for this reason that in the composition of the sequence of arches, the tallest and most symmetrical one was created in direct rapport with the hill and the north-eastern entrance to Expo creating in this way a positive architectural tension with the emerging elements of Expo.
In this sense, the soft forms of the bridge and its tubular structure are also justified, and propose a background of overlapping images, which can be crossed visibly and physically, and at the same time are almost transparent. The great planked bridge with it’s finely shaped structure and main framework in plain sight is held up by steel tie-beams, despite its dimension seems lightly suspended and is of great impact. It is a decorum accentuated by the (system of) indirect lighting of the supporting elements which are stretched/taut to valorize by mutual contrast the line/linearity of the bridge and the fine plan of the tie-beams optimized in their construction needs. This piece of work overlaps the outside navigable waters of the canal that border on the area and the points that touch the ground in front of Expo, are limited to only 4 elements; these have an almost sculptured effect at the base in which the deformation at the foot of the tubular section points out the structural tension of the arch. In the design of the ramp, all along the ramp there is ample possibility to cross smoothly and also future adaptations of the system of entrance ways, at medium and long term, are amply permitted. Starting from the conception of the bridge as a form of landscape painting integrated into the works of environmental mitigation, a proposal of general systematization, particularly referring to the front of Expo was formulated. There was also a proposal of general organization of the eastern parking areas. This proposal allows to optimize the final structure of the roads and the round-abouts foreseen in the phases during and after Expo solving the interference determined by the work done on the canals (the new flood plan for the Guisa river) and by the rolling (flooding) coherent with the proposed system of landscape mitigation forming almost an urban park.
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
CREDITS
YEAR: 2011
LOCATION: Milan
TYPOLOGY: Infrastructures and master planning
CLIENT: TOTO S.p.A.
LANDSCAPE: Studio AG&P Milano

MALFATANO RESORT

TEULADA - CAGLIARI
The hotel (part G) is made up of a central building divided into 3 irregular parts and 11 more distant and smaller associated parts, articulated in plant and morphology, to create an architectural work characterized by a strong sense of belonging to the territory from a formal point of view. The plan is laid out in a way to homogeneously form different and articulated architectural components, assembling them spontaneously and inserting them harmoniously into the territory according to the orthography and the morphology of the environment.
The architecture, accomplished with elementary geometry, contributes to making the complex identifiable in its simplicity, outside predetermined schemes, but not casual or in conflict with the surrounding landscape. In particular, the area on which the reception will be built presents two different orthographic connotations: a semi flat zone to the south-east on which Unit B of the central body, the parking area and three separate E units. and a zone to the north and west which presents a downward slope toward the southeast side, where the guest rooms for the central body will be realized, grouped together in two units called A and C, six isolated units, D, and two isolated units, F. The complex is served by a direct access to the coastal road Cagliari – Teulada, with adjacent parking areas, and from the street which crosses it lengthwise connecting it on the north to block/unit E1/f, and with another parking area in the southern end of the property.
The project optimizes the access to the normal services and to the open-areas destined to be temporary living areas, with paths that adapt to the land. The hotel structure is articulated in a series of recognizable elements connected to each other by walking paths. The central body is composed of 3 essential parts: Block B designated as the welcoming area, assigned to collective and logistic services, and to the administration and all technical parts; Blocks A and C are mainly the guest rooms. Blocks D, E and F are destined as guest rooms. The isolated units, 11 in all, made up of Units D, E and F, will be rooms. All the groups of buildings are of maximum 2 floors connected functionally by pergolas, porticos and stairways which twist and turn following the natural tendency of the land and are and are connected to each other by walk ways to consent access to each single unit.
The buildings are placed on the land at different heights respecting as much as possible the orthography, and limiting the impact on the surrounding landscape. The receptive cells of various typologies have a room with 2 beds, bathroom, living area, and some have a terrace, or on the ground floor have a private green area. The hotel complex has 178 guest rooms of which 12 are equipped to house the disabled.
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
CREDITS
YEAR: 2008
LOCATION: Teulada – Cagliari
TYPOLOGY: Resort and villas
CLIENT: S.I.T.A.S. S.r.l.
WITH: Studio Sergi and Arch. Andrea Leonardi
LANDSCAPE: Marco Bay
COLLABORATOR: Giovannino Casu, Francesca Romanò

EX HOUSE OF THE BALILLA NATIONAL OPERA - VIA MASCAGNI

MILAN, ITALY
Designed and built in the mid 1930s by Mario Cereghini, this important example of Milanese Rationalist design remained vacant in a state of abandon for a long period after having been home to the renowned Milanese Cinema Arti for many years. The restoration project will soon begin work on converting the building into a hotel. The internal layout will be redesigned for its new function, and new additions will be built to house technical services and necessary emergency exit structures.
The edifice is a protected cultural heritage building, so all intervention will be focussed on conservation and respecting its original character. Any new elements introduced will be designed to maintain close and recognisable links with the historical layers of the building. This project can be definitely classified as “critical and interpretative restoration”, an expression typical of the Milanese, or Italian, restoration procedure in general, which Arassociati has always considered a fundamental aspect of its work. For this reason, the architects have decided to preserve a central void that incorporates a part of the theatre’s balcony in the area of the ex-auditorium, to recall the building’s original function.
As well as the internal reconstruction of the main building, and the facade restoration, as described above, several additional structures will modify the original contour of the building for technical purposes and to contain the emergency staircases. Parts of these additions are clad with bronze-coloured perforated panels in a geometrical design to give the new structures a homogeneous skin, while making them discernable as contemporary additions. An integrated part of the project involves the redesigning and improvements to the garden which will become an important outdoor space for the hotel. Many historical trees have been preserved, and a decorative fountain, previously placed against a demolished boundary wall, has been repositioned. On the ground floor, the two separate entrances of the former Cinema Arti will be preserved.
One will give access to the reception lobby, and the other will lead to the restaurant located on the lower floor, that is accessed by a new staircase. The ground floor will also house an elevator directly connected with a roof terrace for events. The route across the lobby and the ex-auditorium leads to a large indoor garden. The void in the centre of the former theatre forms the distribution system to the first and second floors. This was achieved taking advantage of the vast height of the void area, which becomes a scenographic feature of the entire project.
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
CREDITS
YEAR: 2020-in progress
LOCATION: Milan
TYPOLOGY: Restoration and extension
CLIENT: ONB Mode S.r.l.
WITH: Studio Berlucchi
COLLABORATORS: Giulia Zambon, Carlotta Puleo

GORANI 10

MILAN, ITALY
This is the reconstruction of a residential building that was destroyed in the bombings of 1943. The original volumes have been used with a more contemporary architecture, in good correlation with the historical building context and with the sphere of the Urban restoration program “Gorani-Brisa-S.Maria alla Porta”, to which it belongs.
The reconstruction of the city lot and the reconnecting with the existing buildings set, adapting to the height of the gutters, the modern front looking out on the new public square which becomes the privileged side where architecture proposes new relationships. The project occupies almost totally the irregularly shaped lot on the corner of Via Gorani and the open space that was established by the new square. It supports the general will to redefine the rules of perspective and to break up the existing block, through a relationship between the new and the old which is able to express the continuity of the texture of the city.
Following this. it was decided to intervene saturating the volumes with a classical and minimalistic style of architecture, that derived (but are not ) from the historical context. Therefore it was chosen an architectural language imprinted on the stylistic continuity without falling into mimicry of historical accuracy: a prudent choice that respects the background. A few variations between full and empty volumes were introduced on the last floor and in the restoration of the attic on the corner, which brings the building back to the rules of modernity. In the project of reconstruction, as prescribed by the municipality plan that rules the area, the divider along via Gorizia is confirmed.
From here you enter into the building both through the entrance hall and through the mechanized garage. On the ground floor a residential unit was realized and it has been aggregated to the courtyard of the building, in order to be used as a garden by being allocated.
The project considers the use of different levels through residential typologies which, having to accept the architectural and morphological constraints of the nearby buildings, are organized with a single stairway, in order to take advantage adequately of the section of the lot and of the possible views along the public streets toward the courtyard. Regarding the architectural character of the building and the material used for the facades, the project offers a minimal, but keeping a strict connection, comparison to the architectural elements of the Milanese tradition (stone/granite, soft colors for the plaster, wood for the doors and windows, iron for the railings and slanted “terracotta” tiles for the roof). This is seen in that particular environment of reinterpretation of the antique, referred to the design of the details and the construction, able to promote a contemporary stylistic continuity, which is possible in this particular landscape.
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
CREDITS
YEAR: 2015
LOCATION: Milan
TYPOLOGY: Residential
CLIENT: Private client
COLLABORATOR: Simona De Capitani

CORREGGIO 18

MILAN, ITALY
The project concerns the renovation of an existing building of early 20th century consisting of a central courtyard that joins two units built at different times and inserted into a nineteenth-century block with a typical street front characterized by a great decoration, while the internal courtyard’s facades don’t follow the same architectural composition. The main theme of the project was therefore to give uniformity to the various parts and new rationality to the typology of the residential building.
The project aims to give a new life to the architectural complex, bringing the sense of decorum even to the interior fronts of the court and to the facades that project into the core of the urban isolate. This happens respecting the hierarchy of the parts and highlighting the typology of the building also through some additions, such as the new roof and the sophisticated morphology of the garden terraces that characterize the most internal and private parts of the complex with the will to dialogue with the green areas of nearby lots.
The building is equipped with a basement with box, technical and warehouse premises, a mezzanine floor for offices. All the other floors are residential with different housing types. The proposed architecture, partly bound to the existing one, is simple and is linked to the reinterpretation of the characters of the early 20th century Milan thanks to the use of materials and the composition of the façade that tend to realize the maximum linearity and minimalism with their decorative details.
The use of decorative green, both for private terraces and condominium courtyard, has been thought as a qualifying and integral element of the architecture in a full-scale decorum relationship.
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
CREDITS
YEAR: 2007-2008
LOCATION: Milan
TYPOLOGY: Residential
CLIENT: Paros S.r.l.
LANDSCAPE: Studio AG&P Milano
COLLABORATOR: Gabriella Cricrì

LA FENICE THEATER

VENICE, ITALY
In 1996, several months after the fire which destroyed the Fenice, and following numerous public debates on how to restore the theatre, after which the reconstruction intervention was announced through a competition-contract under the slogan “where it was, how it was”, Aldo Rossi was in doubt as to whether he should participate. In fact, he had immediately received various offers from different pools, in virtue of both his broad experience in the theatrical field and familiarity with the context, having worked and taught in Venice. However, Rossi was slightly reticent about tackling this specific case owing to the limitations of the architectural intervention and his having to compete with that supposed “conservative mentality” typical of Venetians.
Contrarily to this, from an in-depth study of the competition details, analysis material and post-fire surveys corroborated by typological and historical references of the theater, it emerged that despite the conservative criteria, it would be possible to reconstruct the theater “where it was” but it would certainly no longer be “how it was” owing to that unreproduceable patina of time vanished with the fire.
The complexity of a building that takes shape with the weft of the city, and the challenge to find an ambit of possible design linked to the interpretative skills which the architect should have, in that personal, reserved relationship with architecture through comparison with the model in an endeavour to give sense to the constructive act, had become infectious to Rossi and all of us too.
The competition announcement, as is often the case, contained some ambiguous aspects, but specifically clarified the five constituent parts of the project, pinpointing for each one restrictions and freedom. This project criteria, together with the complex co-ordination of technical, architectural and restoration factors, are the most effective means of interpreting the proposed project and reflect other architectural themes.

1. Apollonian Halls:
Seriously damaged in the fire, what was required was a conservative intervention of the remaining parts and a philological reconstruction of what was destroyed. In restoring the décor, its stratification and modification was taken into account so as to permit a visual reading of the building’s history, maintaining also what had survived the fire. The large attic, originally used as a store, was transformed into an exhibition hall, open to the public and accessible via a new outside emergency staircase.

2. Theatre Hall:
totally destroyed by the fire, it required a philological reconstruction, taking into account “where it was, how it was” (maintaining all heights of the boxes and decoration). Reconstruction was based on reliefs, cartoons and ornaments monitored and examined by the Superintendence and documented by original drawings and photographic surveys. Thanks to consolidation of the understage foundations, extra rehearsal rooms for the musicians were obtained which, adapting themselves typologically to the cavea walls, provide access to the orchestra pit without interfering with the hall.

3. Scenery tower:
Also devastated by the fire and restrictive in terms of architectural intervention. Consolidating the foundations was primarily considered owing to the position of the scenery rigging. The latter, completely renewed and improved from a point of view of technological characteristics, collaborates with the wall structure and was designed in the context of the North Wing to permit maximum use of the stage and adjacent rooms ideal as backstage space.

4. North Wing:
the corresponding nucleus positioned against the actual theatre volume, also heavily damaged by the fire, but where a greater freedom of design is permitted. Ever since the days of Selva and subsequent modifications and extensions to the theatre at the hands of Meduna, Cadorin and lastly Miozzi, this part of the building has always interacted with the stage area, which has gradually occupied the former site of the Lavezzera courtyard. In the project, the theatre’s ancillary spaces (changing, dressing and rehearsal rooms) were completely redesigned, rationalising and adjusting the emergency staircases, lifts, etc. to the regulations in force.

5. South Wing:
also damaged in the fire and with the same characteristics of the competition announcement as the North Wing, this portion of the theatre complex contains, along with the repositioned and organised administrative offices, the most powerful element in the reconstruction: the Sala Nuova now called Sala Rossi. This room, requested for choral and orchestral rehearsals, was designed by Rossi to be on the same level as the theatre hall and therefore with the possibility of linking the musicians to the orchestra pit and ancillary rooms of the stage, located beneath. At the same time, the Sala Nuova can be used independently with access from the ‘calle’ facing Rio de la Fenice. The Sala Nuova is the element on which Rossi has marked the evolution of the Theatre, finding that degree of design possible even in a decidedly conservative intervention, clarifying the Theatre’s typology and reconstructing it through the image of the city to which it belongs. In this sense of belonging, we should therefore investigate the purpose of the Palladian fragment of the Basilica of Vicenza, made of wood on a 1:3 scale, which characterises this hall “…because it reproduces that interior of the world of Veneto, almost an endeavour to recompose in the building a Venetian world somewhere between history and invention”1. This is also the reason why the copy of the model goes way beyond the formal act, the survey. It is charged with new meaning without ambiguity, and we believe that this is the most tangible key to interpreting the reconstruction project of the Fenice.
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
CREDITS
YEAR: 1999-2004
LOCATION: Venice
COMPETITION DESIGN: Aldo Rossi
WITH: Marco Brandolisio, Giovanni da Pozzo, Massimo Sheurer, Michele Tadini, Marc Kocher
TYPOLOGY: Redevelopment and extension
CLIENT: City of Venice-Impresa Sacaim
COLLABORATORS: Massimiliano Molteni, Corrado Anselmi, Ilaria Brollo

BENETTON IRKUTSK

Irkutsk, Siberia, Russia
Located in Irkutsk’s main shopping street in the old town, the new Benetton store sits amongst the late- nineteenth century architecture typical of this part of the Siberian city, which features an alternation of extremely simple buildings with more accentuated parts, blending styles borrowed mainly from the European Belle Epoque. The contrasting styles are drawn harmoniously together by the alignment of the stringcourses and eaves, which adapts to suit each individual building.
In this Siberian “mean street”, the façade is the one true architectural feature of the building, with a completely original style deriving from the use of materials, proportions, partitions and bright colours to contrast the icy monochrome tones of the endless winter.
An architecture of colours , in the sense that it is broken down into its constituent parts, just as crystals break down white light into a multitude of coloured particles.
The facade is seen as a great, radiant lattice covering two floors, and consisting of six regularly-shaped areas matching the height of the existing buildings. A classic yet modern order, in which the system of store windows and entrances is inserted, and on which the brand signs look like adornments when viewed from the street.
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
CREDITS
YEAR: 2008-2011
LOCATION: Irkutsk, Siberia, Russia
TYPOLOGY: Office & retail
CLIENT: Real Estate Russia ZAO
COLLABORATOR: Simone De Capitani

PATIO VILLAS

Canouan, Saint Vicent e Granadine
The Villas are located in the exceptional and protected atmosphere of the Canouan Resort, on the northern part of the island on the hill overlooking Godahl Bay, facing a splendid coral lagoon and the sparkling Caribbean. The Patio Villas offer sophisticated architecture that combines a breath-taking effect and a subtle equilibrium, drawing a fine blend between nature and structure. Characterized by an open patio, the Villas emerge from precise forms in natural stone, wood and glass; joined together in unique arrangements perfectly adapted to the green landscape and soft hills of Canouan.
The progressive Villas architecture promotes complete involvement with nature through spaces protected by pergolas, feature large panoramic windows and outdoor living areas.The entrance of each villas begins with a sloping path leading to an open patio. In this tropical and protected space the beauty of the nature enters and is transformed first into a central living area then a terrace, finally proceeding towards the sea facing section of the Villa.The central living area’s high-ceiling and sloping roof serve as the fulcrum of the Villa with two bedrooms placed on opposite sides.
These side rooms have varying dimensions taking full advantage of the downward slope created by the island and the interaction of each Villas with the surrounding landscape. To top it off, each Villa displays green roofs for the external spaces.The terrace, with a rectangular infinity pool and Jacuzzi, runs parallel to the living area and blends in the panoramic view of the Caribbean’s turquoise waters with the lush green landscape.
Interior design
The Patio Villas transmit a refined atmosphere through a modern and contemporary interior. The colours and materials are proposed seeking delicacy and progression of tones. Furthermore, two different but equally original styles of habitat were chosen. One style uses bright, luminous tones capturing natural elements in the decor and in the finishing touches; the other utilazes a combination of the smooth colors from warm color-coordinated components highlighted by darker colors with touches of gold or bronze.
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
CREDITS
YEAR: 2015-2020
LOCATION: Canouan – Saint Vicent e Granadine
TYPOLOGY: Accomodation
CLIENT: Mandarin Oriental
WITH: Elena Borsa Architetti
INTERIOR DESIGN WITH: Nicola Gallizia
LANDSCAPE: Marsiglilab
COLLABORATORS: Valeria Matteri, Andrea Piatti, John William Valencia

PORTA TENAGLIA 5

MILAN, ITALY
The building belongs to part of a late nineteenth-century city block that was closed along the curtain wall running along the public street by adding a new front, partly as the result of restoring an earlier building in Art Nouveau style and partly by the new edification which almost envelops it and rises a further four levels.
The street façade draws on a classical modernism typical of elegant architecture dating from the early twentieth century. It is related to the characteristics of the existing buildings and the urban landscape of its context. At the same time it also responds with restraint to the contemporary evolution of the urban and architectural décor, embodying and confirming the stylistic canons of the Milanese upper middle class.
The internal front of the building measures itself against the natural setting of private gardens that form the deep fabric of the city block. These are open, sunny spaces, offering absolute privacy, overlooked by the principal living spaces of substantial residences with loggias, terraces and a large hanging garden.
This private terrace garden covers and mitigates the volume of the parking garage, built on two floors above grade, stretching deep into the site and ideally constituting a progressive link between the park and the building. All the common areas have been designed with a close concern for detail and quality materials, such as marble, seminato and Venetian marmorino, while the architecture of the façade has been enhanced by a scenic pattern of lights.
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
CREDITS
YEAR: 2007-2011
LOCATION: Milan
TYPOLOGY: Luxury apartment building
CLIENT: Porta Tenaglia S.r.l.
WITH: Bianchi&Radaelli Architetti Associati
COLLABORATOR: Giovannino Casu

SAN CARPOFORO 10

MILAN, ITALY
Since it entails the reconstruction of a building destroyed in wartime air raids, it was decided to intervene by saturating the volumes with an architecture of classical and minimalist stylistic characters, derived from, but not identical to, those of the historical context, with due consideration for the fact that on the same intersection there already stands a modernist building completely alien to the character of the Brera district, subject to planning constraints.
Since two contrasting architectures in such a small urban space would alter the whole character of Via San Carpoforo, a restrained architectural vocabulary was adopted to ensure continuity without falling into historicist mimicry, deputing the true expressive value of the act of building to the reconstruction of the city block: a minimal choice of respect that was obligatory in this particular case and context.
The pitched roof in line with the adjacent buildings has been reinterpreted with a semitransparent surface made of lamellar elements in terracotta superimposed on glazed parts, so providing natural light for the interior and avoiding the use of dormer windows.
Compared with the original footprint of the lot, the front corner is set further back in order to favor the décor of the public street, defined by appropriate urban furniture, characterized by a green element which marks the abutment of the previous building.
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
CREDITS
YEAR: 2009-work in progress
LOCATION: Milan
TYPOLOGY: Luxury apartment building
CLIENT: Porta Tenaglia S.r.l.
COLLABORATOR: Simona De Capitani

MÜLLER MARTINI ALLREAL

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND