The apartment is the result of the renovation of an abandoned villa that, when built at the start of the 1900s, was on the outskirts of Milan but has since been weaved into the city’s urban context and divided into several apartments. The piano nobile was left in a state of complete disarray but the refined original materials have been preserved and reinterpreted, starting from the great glass door that used to be the villa’s main entrance and today leads to the wardrobe but most of all creates a truly scenographic appeal. The doors and windows, including the double-shuttered glass doors, the decorative plasters and stuccos have all been restored. The original early-1900s flooring has been saved where possible and recomposed when necessary. Whole portions of it were taken from different parts of the building, restored and rearranged; strips of black back-painted glass follow the lines of where walls were originally placed.
The spacious bathroom has been completely rethought and divided in two: a private restroom, accessed from the bedroom, and one for guests - the two are adjoined by a large shower, accessible from both rooms. The walls are covered with panes of lucid back-painted glass, in stark contrast with the stone flooring.
The kitchen’s steel surfaces reflect the flooring’s motives, and a faux cupboard hides the access to the basement.
Pictures by Diego Diaz
1. entrance
2. diningroom
3. living
4. access to basement
5. kitchen
6. bedroom
7. private bathroom
8. shower
9. bathroom
10. wardrobe
11. office
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