ArchShowcase 
Sumit Singhal
Sumit Singhal loves modern architecture. He comes from a family of builders who have built more than 20 projects in the last ten years near Delhi in India. He has recently started writing about the architectural projects that catch his imagination. Zara Rome in Rome, Italy by Duccio Grassi designed using ArchiCADApril 14th, 2011 by Sumit Singhal
I stay in Rome for business only rarely and I must admit I never paid attention to Palazzo Bocconi, an almost cubic neo-renaissant palace, on Largo Chigi. At the first on site visit the unexpected exceptionality of the architecture lets perceive the original intentions of the architect: extraordinary interior volumes which open through inmense windows towards the city.  Zara Rome
 Interior View The former tenant had closed these windows for merchandise reasons and for technical reasons, the passage of the implants. I presume at the time of construction, 1886, this building – with its pure geometry, compact and yet light, thank to the enormous external surfaces in iron and glass – would have the same effect that the kunsthaus glass cube in Bregenz had in more recent years. Interior View Frequently, when we design retail spaces we have to intervene in historical buildings which were not designed for this purpose. The violence we are forced to use on these places can contain the seed of beauty, of contrast, of the unexpected. For example, we happend to create a commercial space restoring the remainings of a Paleochristina church. In the case of Palazzo Bocconi, the building was originally designed with a commercial aim. The volumes are made to be seen as a unity, the sight crosses the whole space.  Interior View The volumes, the architectures take you by the hand and you cannot do anything but following them. You cannot add anything, you can only remove what does not fit. To restore the light, the lightness, the transparency, the thin size of the original floors became a must.  Piller The central patio cannot hosts icons as it is an icon itself. Certainly the commercial spaces have now changed compared to one century ago: there are needs for safety and climatization, the amount of people has increased enourmously and the merchandising is much different. The project must create the armony among these requirements and the architecture, the soul of the building; this task is eased by the passion and the competence of the client.  Ceiling View On the exterior we have re-opened the large windows towards the city, creating a filter, which acts as an osmotic membrane and embraces all floors inside the cube / building. Inside each window has a double metal sheet shaped as a drapped curtain. The holes of the two metal sheets are coicident: facing them you can see outside, the sun, the rain, the city life; passing by them you perceive only the light which enters with different effects according to the time of the day. Seen from inside the metal sheet is naturally fit for hanging and shelves.  Floor Interior We restored the windows to their original majestic size, reopening those partially closed on via del corso e via san claudio. In agreement with the Ministry for Cultural Heritage we repositioned the vertical connections, both public and for safety staircases, maintaining the integrity of volumes. We eliminated the modern false ceilings and restored the STUCCHI.  Interior View The flooring has been remade completely using the travertino stone, the archetype stone of Rome. The climatisation channels have been located in a toroidal solid which embrace the central patio at each floor. The circularity of the conditioning suggests the way to circulation.  Gallery At the basement, originally not open to the public we remowed all walls and false-ceilings showing a forest of naked columns which reminds of the Roman Basilica cistern in Instanbul. The design of the furniture reflects the brand values: freshness, contemporaneity together with the research for a strong, modern and new identity, perceived as high level and yet to be matched with the quantity of large distribution.  Modern Clothing Store The basement is dedicated to the world of children while the woman is in the central floors, the upper is dedicated to men’s wear. The color of all glass walls shades from white to dark grey moving up to the last floor, enabling to identify each floor with a color.  Clothing Store Duccio Grassi Architects develops projects and concept designs for buildings, boutiques and showrooms for Max Mara, Zara, Canali, Guru, Guess by Marciano, Penny Black, Max&Co, Ceramiche Refin, Iris Ceramica, among the other brands. DGA also designs private villas, restaurants, jewelries, malls and offices, among which the extension of the Wafi City Mall in Dubai, the Al Hamra Mall, the Al Yasra Headquarters and the Mazaya Headquarters in Kuwait. DGA has participated to various Salone del Mobile in Milan designing pieces of furniture for Emmebi, Minotti Cucine, ViaBizzuno and Maletti Group. DGA’s projects received awards in Paris, New York and Los Angeles. DGA has offices in Milan and Reggio Emilia.  Hats  Hat with Bag  Interior View  Modern Clothing Store  Modern Clothing Store  Interior View  Interior View  Exterior View
Contact Duccio Grassi Architect
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
|||||
|
|||||
email
Facebook
Twitter
RSS Feed
