On the 9th of December 2019 an event was held to present the Timavo house project. Studio aRB, together with the team of professionals who worked on the project, presented it and illustrated the idea that inspired it.
The idea behind the project was to complete the shape of the existing building in such a way as to define a dialogue and a connection with the surrounding urban fabric, which has highly recognisable features but which does not form a coherent whole. These emblematic features of the context – the look of the materials, colours and image – led to the finished building. Starting with the features of the existing building, typical of 1950s Milanese architecture, the project transformed the building by means of a systematic set of choices, producing a language which allows the architecture to dialogue with the context, according to the principle of coherence: its aesthetic quality and integration with the landscape were thus maintained and strengthened.
The external layout makes a fundamental contribution to the quality of the city landscape. Therefore, the existing green spaces are maintained in the blueprint as a link with the features of the surrounding open spaces.
In the plans the project tidies the design of the existing facade with a rhythmic pattern of windows alternating with the windowless surfaces and the jutting balconies and loggias. Another decisive choice which characterises the project was to maintain the existing cornice to mark the separation between the existing storeys and the new construction. This element is integrated in the volumetric design, becoming a decorative element of the facades as well as a tribute to the existing building. The principle of making the project visible is also seen in the choice of cladding materials in acrylic stone panels which are smooth on the existing storeys and textured on the new parts, in traditional neutral shades of beige-white.
The structure consists of steel pillars on plinths that bear the reticular steel beams positioned at the height of the loft space. The project thus transforms restrictions regarding building practice and planning regulations into a design opportunity, endowing the project with a distinct architectural style. The part which is new, combined with the redevelopment of the structurally separate part of the building, generates a physical artefact which is fresh yet which conserves the building’s historical heritage.
The desire to seek out a contemporary urban architecture by means of research and the use of innovative materials and solutions also led to the study of high efficiency technological and service choices. The best performing solutions in terms of energy efficiency and internal comfort were also chosen.