Villa N&A in Milan
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Villa N&A in Milan
Refurbishment and renovation of a single family dwelling to a high-end standard in Milan
Torpego Architetti has renovated Villa N&A in Milan, originally built by Italian architect Luigi Caccia Dominioni after World War II in what is now known as the Fiera Area.
The property was formed by a main house and a small dependence, a medium sized garden completed the building on its rear.
Over the years the property undergone massive alterations and it was lately split into two residential units, with the demolition of the original internal staircase and the closing up of a double heighted space at ground floor.
In 2016 the Villa was purchased by the current owner as a home for himself and his family, a general refurbishment was then required to merge the two residential units back again and to provide contemporary living spaces shaped to the new homeowners’ needs.
The property interior was previously formed by a series of dark rooms, therefore the main aim of the project was to create brighter spaces with improved visual connections between the different levels. It was mainly achieved by reinstating the double height space that floods the living areas with natural light.
The entrance is now accommodated beneath a new cantilevered glass canopy, once inside the visitor is let through few steps to the combined living and dining area that extends along the main elevation and opens up to the rear garden, while the kitchen wraps around one of the two fireplaces, facing the street. A bedroom with an en-suite completes the property at this level.
On the upper floor the landing, with its steel balustrade, faces the double height area and extends around the living room providing a library area; the master bedroom with an en-suite, along with the kids rooms are accommodated at this level. Utility and plant areas are located in the basement.
The dependence constitutes a separate volume with an independent entrance connected to the main property by a stone staircase. The garage occupies its ground floor, while a self -contained accommodation is located on the upper level. The roof garden is accessible via a corten ladder from one of the first level terrace and through the internal lift.
The architects chose simple materials for the interior to ensure a sense of consistency throughout the house. The custom-made steel staircase with oak steps, along with two Finnish natural soapstone fireplaces provide the focal point of the ground floor. The spaces are floored with oak engineered wood and fitted with bespoke joinery jointly designed with the client and made from American black walnut wood.
Windows and French doors are surrounded by thick oak linings that stand out against the pastel interiors, framing the outside views.
Villa N&A is a low-energy house and the design embodies a set of specific best practices to make it extremely energy-efficient. Among those there is a thick insulation, two Carrier heat pumps that, alone, operate radiators and air-con the property, 60 m2 of PV panels to produce energy and 8 m2 of solar panels that supply hot water.
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Credits by Anna Perino, Claudio Perino
Project Location Address
Torpego Architetti
- Claudio Perino: Claudio Perino was born in 1955 in Pinerolo and graduated in Architecture in 1980 at Politecnico of Turin University. As a director and founding partner, Claudio invests personally and contributes his design expertise into every project. Claudio lectures and teaches widely and has a deep involvement in the architecture technology, with a strong focus on wood as a construction material.
- Anna Perino: Anna Perino was born in 1985 and graduated in Architecture in 2010 at Politecnico of Turin University with the thesis "[In]formal Jo'burg, upgrading of an informal settlement in Johannesburg". This final work, along with the time spent in Africa over the last few years, allowed her to focus on sustainable architecture in developing countries. She has a deep interest and knowledge into architectural visualization for each stage of a project. Anna joined Torpego Architetti in 2012.
- Sara Porello was born in 1985 and graduated in Architecture in 2011 at Politecnico of Turin University. Prior to joining Torpego Architetti, Sara gained extensive professional experience working in several practices in London where she specialised in high end residential developments in London, France and Italy.
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