The story of the existing building was the amalgamation of different building units – the modest houses of the mills – built in continuity to the Pusterla in access to the city. Already in the 20s, a renovation had changed profoundly the typological design of the 4 units and especially the outside, with an attempt to transform the mill houses to a neo-Renaissance “palace”. The new project becomes the occasion of the restoration of the main inner wall structure of the building and the 3 most important apartments on different floors using the double height system to improve the existing low ceilings, having angles that can not be eliminated given the unalterable perforated patterns of the exterior. The communal staircase in travertine and Corten iron is placed in the center of the third span: natural light is produced by the yellow “lantern” entrance (a glass sleeve) and the skylight in the roof.

area: 1.500 sqm