You have just completed the important restoration of the Bolchini Palace in Milan . Would you tell us about it ? In October , we presented the redevelopment of the Gallery of the Bolchini Palace , located in Piazza Meda 6 . The main object of the intervention was the public portico and the lower part of the facade of the Palace bearing the same name , designed by Pier Giulio Magistretti – the father of Vico – between 1928 and 1930 . The Palace , with déco accents , presents elements that recall the neoclassicism of the adjacent Piazza Belgioioso , translated into the use of obelisks , statues , and balustrade as decoration on the top floor . Developed on eight floors , the Bolchini Palace presents a public arcade on the ground floor covered with slabs of the typical Ceppo stone , which also covers the first floor , while the upper floors have a stucco facade . The redevelopment has given new light to one of the most important buildings of the Milanese twentieth century , in the monumental heart of the city and not far from the Duomo Cathedral , thanks also to the lighting project , created ad hoc by Metis Lighting , making the original architectural elements re-emerge and giving the whole area , full of commercial activities , a new and suggestive atmosphere , enjoyable both during the day and in the evening . In order to protect the privacy and shield the offices located |
therein and the porch itself from the sunlight , the blinds have been replaced by brise soleil elements in metal with burnished finish and an extremely essential language , inserted in the existing arches .
In your opinion , how will the architecture in Italy evolve after the lock-down and the profound changes we have experienced in recent months ? We believe that the pandemic , with the consequent lock-down , has led people to regain consciousness of themselves , of the things and places in which they live permanently . When forced to stop forcibly , we realized that we did not live , but only
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crossed the spaces of architecture and the built environment , experiencing only a movement or a journey , rarely a conscious stop to rest . We have therefore realised that the majority of the spaces in our homes are small and ill-suited for a continuous living , as well as for a life of quality . In the future , designers will have to commit themselves to create architecture of quality , designed to have people at the centre of the project . In particular , homes will no longer be places where people can show off their wealth and power , but they will be personal and reserved spaces , just as they will be increasingly connected with the world through the integration of technology . |
Photo © studio Borlenghii |