Il verde del terrazzo e i tetti di Milano entrano in questo ambiente intimo creando un suggestivo gioco di riflessi e di rimbalzi dentro-fuori .
ENG . CASA DI RINGHIERA
A very central loft / penthouse in Milan : magical alchemy of light , shape , matter and nature .
Originally from Messina , Paolo Rizzo graduated in Architecture at the Polytechnic University of Milan in 1993 and after specializing at the studio of Mies Van der Rohe , Lohan Architects , Chicago , he came back to Italy as Ignazio Gardella ’ s pupil and junior architect ; in 1955 he opened his own studio . The abode that he strongly wanted as his home is a white and bright loft / penthouse in the shape of a semi-attic parallelepiped , located on the top floor of this “ Casa di ringhiera ” dating back to 1800 , in a privileged position . From here , you can admire the roofs of the city centre , the bell towers and the copper domes of the churches , on which the spires of the Milan Cathedral with its Madonnina stand out . The green terrace runs along one of the two long sides of the floor plan : the owner , who personally takes care of it , wanted to enhance the terrace with plants and flowers , thus creating the magical illusion of a place surrounded by greenery , and not on the top floor of a town building . This space can also be enjoyed from the inside , as a sort of outdoor scenographic backdrop , where an imaginary perspective axis ends , and extends the sculptural and chromatic visions of the furnishings towards the outdoor , in a perfect formal consonance between design and nature . Everything is made possible thanks to the large window that runs along the axis of the terrace . The renovations required great efforts , but in the end , the result is a space where to enjoy silence and peace – rare in Milan –, ensured by the height and the position of the building , very central but sheltered from the noisy and busy main streets of the city . This is how “ Casa di ringhiera ” was born , as the owner wanted to call it , located in the district of Conca del Naviglio , a place where light and nature define its character . Inside , he organized spaces and functions by distributing them around a large central block , covered on the living side by a wall of stone and concrete slabs . This large central block incorporates the open-plan kitchen in mirrored steel , designed by the owner . On the opposite side , overlooking the terrace , there is the bathroom with the tub area in white marble , and the bedroom . Here , through the mirrored wardrobe , the green terrace and the Milanese roofs enter the environment , creating an evocative game of reflections and in-and-out bounces . The interiors are influenced by the architect ’ s passion for the great 1900s design – Castiglioni , Joe Colombo , Saarinen , Eames , Mies van der Rohe , just to name a few –, for the highly-tactile exposed concrete and brass , a love inherited from Ignazio Gardella . Paolo Rizzo , between architectural inventions and creative details , thus gave life to an eccentric environment , minimal at first sight , but actually decorative . Being a designer , he skilfully combined the masters ’ pieces with his creations . “ Given my profession , I wanted to amaze with special effects : vanity is definitely my favourite sin ”, the landlord remarked .
Armadio a specchio con ante scorrevoli a scomparsa disegnato dall ’ arch . Rizzo . Sul piano in marmo “ Lampadina ” 1972 di Achille Castiglioni per Flos . Riflessi nello specchio : sedia in legno e metallo modello Jason Chair di Carl Jacobs per Kandya . Lampada a sospensione a stelo doppio snodo in ottone , prototipo arch . Rizzo . Parete e vasca da bagno in marmo su disegno dell ’ architetto .
Renovation project by architect Paolo Rizzo Photography and text by Michele Biancucci Styling Elena Ciccioli