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Portrait Milano
Portrait Milano
Corso Venezia, Milano, Italy
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Other Projects by AMDL Circle | Michele De Lucchi
Portrait Milano
Corso Venezia, Milano, Italy
Type
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2022
The archiepiscopal seminary of Milan is a 16th-century building, constructed at the wishes of St. Charles Borromeo and tampered with considerably over subsequent centuries. It is located in a central district of Milan, between Piazza San Babila and the quadrilateral of fashion. Externally it has the appearance of a large plastered building and inside it conserves a marvellous colonnaded cloister. The reappraisal of its architectural beauty represents an important investment for the city of Milan.
The project by AMDL CIRCLE has investigated the historical identity of the locationin order to conserve and showcase its construction characteristics, respecting its symbolic meaning.
Bearing witness to the history of the building, cornices, apertures, colours and
materials are maintained: from a study on the historical morphology of the doors
and windows, conducted thanks to the Achille Bertarelli civic print collection,
there has resulted a rereading in a contemporary vein of the design of these
elements, which become an expression of the synergy between the new use of the complex and its history.
The frames of the doors and windows, with two-door shutters and glass doors for
the commercial activities, soften the impact of the large wall surfaces respecting the principle of non-invasiveness. The integration of logos and graphics onto the glass doors and windows respects the uniformity of the façades and the “visual silence” that is appropriate to the seminary.
The cloister is the fulcrum of the complex. A double loggia of coupled columns
frames it around four sides. In all ecclesiastical architectures, the loggia is a covered element of distribution that regulates the conducting of activities. This characteristic is maintained and highlighted. On the ground floor the porticos are used as a space to access the restaurants, the café-bistros and the exclusive boutiques, as well as an access for the hotel. The loggia on the first floor is the nodal distribution centre, reserved for customers of the hotel, who access their rooms from here. The loggia, with its plastered vaults, is also a marvellous space for art exhibitions and scenographic interventions to be staged.
The internal sides of the complex have a strong personality and the choice of
distribution of the public functions of the ground floor derives from the peculiarities of each wing. The hotel reception finds its natural location on the right of the entrance porch in Corso Venezia, which maintains its role as the main entrance. The north side can be used for its entire length and the restaurant and hotel bar are located here, with access to the garden belonging to the property. It is a simple, refined garden, embellished by the restoration of the existing architectural elements. An outdoor patio allows use on cold and rainy days. It is here that tables are laid out for breakfast and the restaurant also uses the space for lunch and dinner.
The west side is the one that looks onto the elegant commercial area of Via
Sant’Andrea and contains the boutiques. The double-facing rooms on the ground floor are ideal for commercial activities, which can enjoy both access from Via Sant’Andrea and views of the monumental cloister.
The volume to the south, contained between two historical stairways, is characterised by an initial area devoted to boutiques, to then continue beyond the central staircase with the insertion of a large restaurant with the best exposure to the sun.
On the upper floor is the hotel, with seventy-three rooms and reserved dining, reception and lounge spaces. The paved roof present on the north side of the roof is transformed into a rooftop bar with a 360° view across the city.
On the basement floor are a swimming pool, gym and wellness area, in addition to a large area for events. The service and technical rooms complete the level. Beneath the central courtyard, the pre-existing underground garage open to the public has been maintained, with direct access from Corso Venezia. The car park, which is a precious commodity in the historic centre, frees up the loading and unloading services of the entire complex, releasing the external gardens in favour of the usability of the spaces.
To transform the seminary into a hotel, the internal boarding, mostly fitted in the 1970s, has been removed. The most important architectural interventions concern the realisation of new staircases and lifts, necessary to connect the levels of the structure and to guarantee the respecting of the regulations in force (removal of architectural barriers, fire prevention). For the positioning of the new staircases and lifts, historical research has been conducted into the previous demolition work in order to date the actual original wall structures and to define the position of staircases and lifts without affecting the historical parts.
The perspective view between the two thresholds. The entrance in Corso Venezia will have a considerable increase in transit activity: this will include the passage of groups of tourists, those walking to and from the shops, vehicles going down to the underground car park and taxis dropping off customers at the hotel. To manage the flow of people and cars effectively, vehicles heading to the Seminary are stopped at the point of descent to the garage. Opening on the opposite side is the door accessing Via Sant’Andrea and the quadrilateral of fashion.
The rather anonymous and somewhat concealed entrance has been upgraded to attract visitors and invite them to enter. Between the two thresholds, the perspective view onto the cloister with its double loggia of coupled columns is extraordinarily charming.
The importance of the green space. The sombre appearance of the ancient internal frontages is attenuated by the green project. Plants in vases with bushes, trees, seasonal flowers and herbs of various colours and heights create areas of multi-coloured vegetation interspersed with benches, tables and streetlamps. The vegetation interrupts the monotony of stone and cement, and the domination suffered due to the grandeur of the monument is split up into a number of small green areas that are moving in their simplicity.
Calibrated and discreet lighting values the main characteristics of the building. The colonnades, cornices and façades are highlighted by light points to underline their shapes and three-dimensionality. In particular, the beauty of the loggia is emphasised by the “backlighting” effects of the evening illumination.
The resulting impression will be that of a serene building of ancient tradition, which has maintained its original elegance over time. This is a new piazza for Milan, open to tourists and citizens, who can admire the historic architecture reintegrated into the flow of contemporary life here. In the centre of the space, temporary pavilions can be built for organising events and displays.
The project by AMDL CIRCLE has investigated the historical identity of the locationin order to conserve and showcase its construction characteristics, respecting its symbolic meaning.
Bearing witness to the history of the building, cornices, apertures, colours and
materials are maintained: from a study on the historical morphology of the doors
and windows, conducted thanks to the Achille Bertarelli civic print collection,
there has resulted a rereading in a contemporary vein of the design of these
elements, which become an expression of the synergy between the new use of the complex and its history.
The frames of the doors and windows, with two-door shutters and glass doors for
the commercial activities, soften the impact of the large wall surfaces respecting the principle of non-invasiveness. The integration of logos and graphics onto the glass doors and windows respects the uniformity of the façades and the “visual silence” that is appropriate to the seminary.
The cloister is the fulcrum of the complex. A double loggia of coupled columns
frames it around four sides. In all ecclesiastical architectures, the loggia is a covered element of distribution that regulates the conducting of activities. This characteristic is maintained and highlighted. On the ground floor the porticos are used as a space to access the restaurants, the café-bistros and the exclusive boutiques, as well as an access for the hotel. The loggia on the first floor is the nodal distribution centre, reserved for customers of the hotel, who access their rooms from here. The loggia, with its plastered vaults, is also a marvellous space for art exhibitions and scenographic interventions to be staged.
The internal sides of the complex have a strong personality and the choice of
distribution of the public functions of the ground floor derives from the peculiarities of each wing. The hotel reception finds its natural location on the right of the entrance porch in Corso Venezia, which maintains its role as the main entrance. The north side can be used for its entire length and the restaurant and hotel bar are located here, with access to the garden belonging to the property. It is a simple, refined garden, embellished by the restoration of the existing architectural elements. An outdoor patio allows use on cold and rainy days. It is here that tables are laid out for breakfast and the restaurant also uses the space for lunch and dinner.
The west side is the one that looks onto the elegant commercial area of Via
Sant’Andrea and contains the boutiques. The double-facing rooms on the ground floor are ideal for commercial activities, which can enjoy both access from Via Sant’Andrea and views of the monumental cloister.
The volume to the south, contained between two historical stairways, is characterised by an initial area devoted to boutiques, to then continue beyond the central staircase with the insertion of a large restaurant with the best exposure to the sun.
On the upper floor is the hotel, with seventy-three rooms and reserved dining, reception and lounge spaces. The paved roof present on the north side of the roof is transformed into a rooftop bar with a 360° view across the city.
On the basement floor are a swimming pool, gym and wellness area, in addition to a large area for events. The service and technical rooms complete the level. Beneath the central courtyard, the pre-existing underground garage open to the public has been maintained, with direct access from Corso Venezia. The car park, which is a precious commodity in the historic centre, frees up the loading and unloading services of the entire complex, releasing the external gardens in favour of the usability of the spaces.
To transform the seminary into a hotel, the internal boarding, mostly fitted in the 1970s, has been removed. The most important architectural interventions concern the realisation of new staircases and lifts, necessary to connect the levels of the structure and to guarantee the respecting of the regulations in force (removal of architectural barriers, fire prevention). For the positioning of the new staircases and lifts, historical research has been conducted into the previous demolition work in order to date the actual original wall structures and to define the position of staircases and lifts without affecting the historical parts.
The perspective view between the two thresholds. The entrance in Corso Venezia will have a considerable increase in transit activity: this will include the passage of groups of tourists, those walking to and from the shops, vehicles going down to the underground car park and taxis dropping off customers at the hotel. To manage the flow of people and cars effectively, vehicles heading to the Seminary are stopped at the point of descent to the garage. Opening on the opposite side is the door accessing Via Sant’Andrea and the quadrilateral of fashion.
The rather anonymous and somewhat concealed entrance has been upgraded to attract visitors and invite them to enter. Between the two thresholds, the perspective view onto the cloister with its double loggia of coupled columns is extraordinarily charming.
The importance of the green space. The sombre appearance of the ancient internal frontages is attenuated by the green project. Plants in vases with bushes, trees, seasonal flowers and herbs of various colours and heights create areas of multi-coloured vegetation interspersed with benches, tables and streetlamps. The vegetation interrupts the monotony of stone and cement, and the domination suffered due to the grandeur of the monument is split up into a number of small green areas that are moving in their simplicity.
Calibrated and discreet lighting values the main characteristics of the building. The colonnades, cornices and façades are highlighted by light points to underline their shapes and three-dimensionality. In particular, the beauty of the loggia is emphasised by the “backlighting” effects of the evening illumination.
The resulting impression will be that of a serene building of ancient tradition, which has maintained its original elegance over time. This is a new piazza for Milan, open to tourists and citizens, who can admire the historic architecture reintegrated into the flow of contemporary life here. In the centre of the space, temporary pavilions can be built for organising events and displays.
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