Our homes are changing fast all the while being asked to accommodate more and more functions. The same space used during the day as an office or playroom can moonlight as a lounge or sleeping chamber. When tasked with the transformation of a classic Milan apartment—traditionally fragmented into many smaller rooms—local architecture practice Atelierzero took a bold approach.
The maverick, locally based firm removed most non-load-bearing walls and methodically introduced a series of almost furniture-like inserts that divide the now main unit and adjoining studio home, but also allow for smooth, near-seamless transitions when needed. There are no doors, at least in the conventional sense.
Distinct yet complementary color blocking renders the pared-back, geometrically architectonic volumes as standalone elements, brought together almost like a miniaturized city skyline: buildings of various proportions placed side by side.
Inspired by the colonnaded porticos found throughout the northern Italian metropolis—and the commercial streets below—the main corridor, clad in a warm orange, serves as the apartment’s primary axis. Its almost Carlo Scarpa-like terrazzo floor is an emphatic “if-you-know-you-know” nod to context. On one side, rectilinear cutaways lead into the apartment’s main entertainment space. On the other, cabinet-embedded hatches open up to a powder room, utility space, en suite bedroom, and the semi-separate studio.
Holding pride of place in the “main hearth” great room of the apartment, the taupe-toned kitchen module appears to float on its own. It also strategically shields the more intimate study and dining area toward its rear.
Furnishings sourced from decidedly Milanese but globally recognized design brands B&B Italia, CC-Tapis, Oluce, and Flos intermix with iconic re-editions from equally emblematic producers Artek, Marset, and Thonet.
This shrewd, sparingly introduced curation ties everything together and softens what would otherwise be a starkly crystalline interior. The visual and visceral composition is intriguing. The adjacent studio reflects the same cohesive strategy, ensuring both spaces present as a unified, if physically detached, whole.
To see more work by the bold firm, visit atelierzero.it.
Photography by Specchi Studio.
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