At the corner of Via Oglio and Via Sile in Milan, the work has begun to transform an existing building, which was originally a gym, into a multi-tenant office space designed by Barreca & La Varra for DeA Capital Real Estate SGR and characterised by a new composite and changing facade.
Built in the second half of the 1980s, the existing building presents itself as an orderly and austere volume, composed of individual autonomous parts. In detail, the project involves the relocation of certain portions of the existing gross floor area, moving them from the basement and ground floor to the upper floors of the building; a comprehensive modification of the facade system with a consequent improvement in the building’s energy performance; the addition of common services on the ground floor, and a rethinking of the building’s entrance systems, also in consideration of adjacent redevelopment projects.
The project therefore includes a total strip-out in terms of interior finishes, facade, and systems, while preserving the existing structures as much as possible, and a reorganization of the internal layout.
The new volume, which aim to maintain the existing building’s geometry, define the two main glazed elements and the parallelepiped shapes of the stairwells. All of this is interconnected by a portion that extends into the interstitial spaces between one volume and another, culminating at the base and on the set-back at the top floor.
At the base of the building, common services are planned (a general lobby, meeting rooms for short meetings with guests, a relaxation and break area for tenants) strategically located to ensure accessibility from all floors.
The typical floor plan of the building includes a central spine running parallel to the long side, allowing for more flexible space division and accommodating the main utility distribution routes.
The top floor, an exquisite feature of the project due to its large perimeter terraces, can house executive offices or meeting rooms with more generous dimensions than the lower floors.
The new facade treatment fits into a landscape of strong renewal in the area and creates a contrasting, ever-changing, and luminous volume with a strong aesthetic identity. Three types of facades are defined and applied to different sections, further emphasizing the massing concept of the project, which aims to highlight the recognizability of its parts and volumes. The building’s very horizontal proportion has led to the architectural need to enhance its verticality.
The building is designed to achieve LEED Gold certification, Finally, in keeping with the most current building standards.
