A Milanese Apartment Is Restored, Then Renewed (Published 2022)

The northern Italian city of Turin has a rich cultural history, having been the seat of the Savoy royal family for nearly 400 years and a center of the Arte Povera movement in the 1960s. It was also the home of Ada Bursi, one of Italy's first female architects, who, born in 1906, designed schools and public housing in the city. Bursi believed in "democratic luxury," emphasizing the value of workmanship over material cost. Her approach to design, focusing on how materials were used rather than their inherent value, is a key aspect of her legacy. Andrea Marcante and Adelaide Testa, partners in the Turinese architecture studio Marcante-Testa, cite Bursi as an inspiration, noting her belief that beauty resided in the thoughtful application of materials. Marcante-Testa recently renovated an apartment in a five-story building designed by Bursi, located on Corso Giovanni Lanza in Turin's affluent Borgo Crimea neighborhood. Completed in 1958, the building is notable for its plain white Modernist facade, contrasting with the area's prevalent Art Nouveau style. Bursi incorporated playful elements into her design, such as curved fluted wood panels in the entrance, amoeba-shaped poured-glass door handles, and mosaic tiles decorating columns and balcony undersides. The apartment, a 2,368-square-foot duplex, was renovated for Marco Lobina, founder of Rezina, a company specializing in resin architectural finishings, and his wife, Isabella Errani. The renovation aimed to introduce color and light while preserving the original midcentury spirit of Bursi's design. The previous owner, architect Maria Grazia Conti Daprà, had dark-stained wood floors. Marcante-Testa, in collaboration with Lobina, implemented cream-toned resin floors embedded with thin channels of glass tile, a reference to Bursi's aesthetic, creating a rippling water effect. This technique is also used in the primary suite's bathroom, featuring butter yellow accents against a steely blue wall. Separate rooms for the couple's daughter and a housekeeper are decorated in seafoam green and lilac. Structural changes included leveling a previously sunken central sitting area to remove a potential hazard for older relatives. The gap beneath the living room's original built-in wooden cabinets was bridged with metallic laminate panels. A small gray stone step was added at the base of the wooden staircase leading to a TV room and den in the mansard loft. A former office was converted into a kitchen with an eat-in space opening onto a plant-filled balcony, while the original galley kitchen became a bedroom. The new kitchen features updated dove gray cupboards and cream tiled walls, echoing the original design's essence. Warmth and comfort were priorities for Lobina. The bedroom floors are covered in petrol blue carpet, and street sounds are muffled by a dark teal wool blend on a built-in armoire and a mottled gray knit upholstery on the floor-to-ceiling headboard. A walk-in closet in the connecting bathroom features dark-stained teak with fuchsia-painted edges, referencing the home’s original carpentry. A matching wooden desk is tucked into a window alcove, offering views of the Renaissance-style basilica on Monte dei Cappuccini. The project serves as a tribute to Ada Bursi, who, despite being a contemporary of renowned architects like Gio Ponti and Carlo Mollino, remained less known due to the limitations faced by women in her era. Bursi worked for the city, contributing to Turin's post-World War II reconstruction, and her architectural legacy continues to inspire. #MidcenturyModern #TurinArchitecture #AdaBursi #MarcanteTesta #HomeRenovation #InteriorDesign #ItalianArchitecture #ArchitecturalLegacy

This article details the transformation of a 473-square-foot studio apartment located in a historic 1930s building in Milan, Italy. The renovation, undertaken by local architecture firm ATOMAA, converted a dark, cramped, and compartmentalized space into a flexible and open living environment. The project, named "A House In Constant Transition," demonstrates how renovating existing buildings can be a more sustainable and tailored solution compared to new construction, particularly in addressing embodied carbon. The original layout featured a narrow, poorly lit bathroom centrally located, bisecting the apartment and blocking one of its three windows. The architects' primary intervention involved relocating the bathroom to the rear perimeter wall, away from natural light sources. This strategic move allowed for the centralization of fixed functional elements such as storage furniture, a wardrobe, washing machine, and entrance along this thickened wall. Consequently, the main living areas—kitchen, living, dining, and bedroom—were repositioned closer to the windows, benefiting from ample natural light and creating a continuous, open space. The new design emphasizes flexibility and openness, giving the impression of a much larger apartment. Curtains and sliding doors play a crucial role in enabling the inhabitants to reconfigure the space as needed. For instance, curtains in the living room can be drawn to create a private, enclosed area. The use of light and bright colors, particularly on a curved wall, helps reflect light and enhance the sense of spaciousness. An exposed brick wall, painted white, subtly defines an entry area and a laundry room. The kitchen, now centrally located, features cabinetry and furniture crafted from high-quality beech plywood. All living spaces are unified by wooden flooring laid in a diagonal pattern. The kitchen is fully equipped with modern appliances, including a stove, oven, range hood, refrigerator, and dishwasher, all neatly concealed behind cabinet doors. Floating shelves are utilized instead of heavy solid cabinets to maintain a light and open aesthetic. Flexibility extends to the bedroom, where two sliding doors can separate the sleeping area from the kitchen. A reading nook is positioned by the window, and another curtain offers an additional layer of division to separate the bedroom from this nook. Multipurpose sliding doors in the bedroom can alternately close off the closet or the bathroom. The relocated bathroom is now a wider and brighter space, accommodating a shower, toilet, bidet, and sink. It also features two points of entry: one from the laundry room and another from the bedroom. ATOMAA founder Umberto Maj highlights the importance of such renovations in ensuring urban continuity and providing comfortable, sustainable housing solutions in growing cities like Milan, by reusing and rehabilitating existing beautiful buildings from the 1930s. #ApartmentRenovation #SmallSpaceDesign #FlexibleLiving #SustainableDesign #MilanArchitecture #InteriorDesign #HistoricBuildings #SpaceSavingSolutions

This article details the transformation of a 2,360-square-foot apartment in Milan's Quadrilatero della Moda district, which was once a Franciscan convent. Inge Theron, founder of FaceGym, initially sought a simple pied-à-terre but, influenced by the district's ecclesiastical history and the design prowess of Giuseppe Porcelli, decided to make it her family's full-time residence. Porcelli, known for his English eclecticism with an Italian flair, was given a blank canvas, as the apartment was stripped bare when he began the renovation. Porcelli's design approach for the apartment drew inspiration from his Neapolitan roots, favoring a romantic aesthetic that suggests a curated collection of pieces accumulated over time. He started by establishing a foundational layer of surfaces, including blue grass cloth walls, solid oak herringbone parquet floors, and cream-colored gypsum moldings, a nod to pre-World War II Milanese homes. He then integrated a mix of custom-designed furniture and vintage pieces sourced from antique dealers and galleries. The living room, for instance, features a large ottoman upholstered with a vintage carpet, 19th-century Kutani porcelain lamps with Indian dupioni silk shades, and an overstuffed sofa in a cotton jacquard with bullion trim. A 1968 Ingo Maurer faux-bamboo floor lamp and an emerald green love seat complete the space, alongside a Napoleon III mirror above the hearth. Moving into other areas, the kitchen showcases Amalfi Coast floor tiles and a custom trompe l'oeil wallpaper that mimics their pattern. Floating glass shelves display Theron's collection of Venini glass vases and Venetian goblets, complemented by mocha-hued lacquered cabinetry. The dining room, connected to the living room via a transparent bar cabinet, is adorned with hand-painted wallpaper designed by Porcelli with Pictalab, featuring a floral motif inspired by Impressionist art on a patinated gold background. A glossy mahogany Regency dining table is surrounded by Art Deco-style lacquered chairs with burnt orange silk velvet seats, and a 19th-century French Fior di Pesco marble fireplace anchors the room. The apartment also includes a sophisticated smoking room, originally conceived for business meetings but retained due to its comfortable and inviting atmosphere. This room features mahogany-framed walls with sections upholstered in Braquenié floral fabric, a custom sofa, and Napoleon III armchairs on an antique geometric rug. A hidden wall panel conceals a small bathroom, offering an impromptu suite for guests. Theron particularly cherishes the private quarters beyond the dining room, which include a dressing room with a brass-doored armoire. These spaces subtly incorporate spiritual references, such as a 17th-century portrait of Santa Cecilia above the canopy bed in the primary bedroom, which is upholstered in a gold-toned floral jacquard and moss green velvet with a fringed canopy. The family's linens are embroidered with an image of the Holy Mother in oxblood red, a detail that Theron views as a tribute to the street's historical and spiritual significance, reinforcing a sense of blessing and divine watchfulness over their home. #MilanApartment #InteriorDesign #GiuseppePorcelli #LuxuryHome #VintageFurniture #EclecticStyle #ItalianDesign #ArchitecturalRenovation #SpiritualInfluence

Laura and Chuck Anderson, residents of a Morris-Day shingle-style house in Vienna for 25 years, embarked on a six-month renovation project to transform their home into a retirement retreat. The primary goal was to address existing design challenges, such as the absence of a full first-floor bathroom and an undeveloped backyard, to facilitate aging in place. Their vision involved creating a seamless indoor-outdoor living experience while preserving the original Craftsman architecture. Key additions included a sunroom, a pool, and updated landscaping. The project was overseen by Michael Winn of Winn Design + Build, who emphasized a holistic approach rather than piecemeal changes. A crucial aspect of the renovation was to update the property without compromising its inherent character and charm. The Andersons engaged Dwight McNeil, the original Morris-Day architect, to design an extension. This extension incorporated a full first-floor bathroom and a sunroom, alongside a separate garage positioned to shield the pool area. The plans also included the conversion of an unfinished basement space into an exercise room and an additional bathroom. Following McNeil's schematic plan, architect Lauren Magee of Winn Design + Build managed the design development and construction documentation. The Andersons expressed satisfaction with Winn Design + Build's ability to translate McNeil's vision into the physical structure, noting their expertise in craftsmanship and their intuitive understanding of the desired aesthetic. Beyond the structural additions, Winn Design + Build also assisted with selecting finishes, exterior paint colors, and implementing significant repairs and upgrades to lighting, paint, and mechanical systems throughout the original house. A major focus of the renovation was to revitalize the backyard and integrate it with the interior living spaces. Michael Winn highlighted the importance of creating flow and visual harmony between the indoor and outdoor environments. A sunroom was added with expansive windows overlooking the newly installed pool, designed to maximize natural light within the first floor. The sunroom became a favorite spot for the couple, evolving into a sun-filled parlor with a French aesthetic, decorated around a Monet-inspired bench. A personal touch, a bell from Chuck's childhood home, was installed on the breezeway, adding sentimental value to the renovated space. A practical last-minute addition was an outside door for the new first-floor bathroom, allowing it to function as both a traditional bathroom and a changing area for the pool. Landscaping played a vital role in unifying the entire property. Horticulturalist Mark Finlayson developed a plan that introduced texture, color, and movement to complement the architecture, which was then implemented by Wheat’s Landscape. Charming features such as a kitchen herb garden at the front and fountains along the pool's edge were incorporated to foster a serene atmosphere. Strategic plantings, pea gravel pathways, and layered garden beds were used to create a welcoming and mature aesthetic, making the home feel integrated with its surroundings. The design minimized hardscape, favoring materials like TimberTech decking, bluestone, and natural stone veneer to create cohesive zones. Intentional transitions, including gracefully designed steps and repeating materials across different outdoor areas, emphasized balance between built structures and greenery. The Andersons expressed immense satisfaction with the outcome, particularly noting how the new sunroom effectively connects the house to the revitalized backyard, transforming it into a convivial gathering space for family and friends. #HomeRenovation #ViennaHome #IndoorOutdoorLiving #CraftsmanArchitecture #SunroomAddition #PoolDesign #LandscapeDesign #AgingInPlace #WinnDesignBuild

Casa GS, an apartment located in the Città Studi district of Milan, Italy, underwent an interior redesign by Kick.Office. The original apartment was characterized by a dark and uninviting corridor, a common feature in older residential buildings. The primary objective of the redesign was to transform this previously overlooked space into a more functional and aesthetically pleasing element of the home. The design solution involved the creation of a striking promenade within the corridor, achieved through the introduction of a barrel vault ceiling. This architectural detail not only enhances the linearity of the space but also serves as a visual guide, directing visitors towards the main living area of the apartment. The barrel vault contributes to a sense of openness and architectural interest, effectively mitigating the former darkness and creating a more welcoming entrance. A key functional and design element implemented in the renovation is a custom-made wardrobe. This wardrobe spans the entire length of the transformed corridor, serving a dual purpose. Aesthetically, it creates a continuous and streamlined surface, contributing to the overall modern and clean aesthetic of the space. Functionally, it acts as a strategic divider, clearly demarcating the 'day zone' from the 'night zone' within the apartment. This separation improves the organization and flow of the living spaces, providing privacy for the more intimate areas of the home. Throughout the redesign process, a conscious effort was made to preserve and integrate the existing high-quality materials and finishes present in Casa GS. This approach ensured that the renovated apartment maintained its authentic character and established a sense of continuity with its historical past. By honoring the original architectural elements while introducing contemporary design interventions, Kick.Office aimed to create a harmonious blend of old and new. The project has been recognized within the design community, earning a longlist nomination in the 'residential interior (small)' category of the Dezeen Awards 2025. This acknowledgment highlights the project's innovative approach to space utilization, its thoughtful integration of architectural details, and its successful transformation of a challenging interior layout into a sophisticated and functional living environment. The redesign of Casa GS demonstrates how strategic architectural and interior design interventions can significantly enhance the functionality and aesthetic appeal of existing residential properties, particularly in urban settings where space optimization is crucial. The use of the barrel vault and the custom wardrobe are central to this transformation, offering both visual appeal and practical benefits to the residents. #ResidentialInteriorDesign #ApartmentRenovation #MilanArchitecture #BarrelVault #CustomMillwork #InteriorRedesign #SmallSpaceDesign #ArchitecturalPreservation