PALAZZO PIACENTINI

The project is part of the conversion and total renovation of an imposing Lictorian-style building, outstanding in the renown Via Roma. Located at one of the two important corners of Piazza CLN, opposite a wonderful monumental sculptural fountain, the building was an original part of the majestic project commissioned by Dictator Mussolini and coordinated by the famous and official architect Marcello Piacentini. He was designated to help creating the main street of the new modernist town, named VIA ROMA, which was officially opened on 20th October 1938, in the heart of the existing city.

The 220 m² apartment, facing Via Roma at the third floor,was handed over by the new owner to architect Massimiliano Camoletto, while still  demolished.

THE AIM

Rigour, order, cleanliness, spatiality, luminosity and elegance.

THE PLAN

The volume was completely reinterpreted and divided up in two equal parts: the spacious and open living area towards the main street, the rigid and enclosed private apartment facing the courtyard. The setting of all spaces was laid out with the utmost respect for the existing untouched baring structure of the building, also managing to focus on and to exalt its authentic rationalist architectural features.

Right from the very first sketches, the emphasis was placed on the facade rhythmic pattern of windows facing along Via Roma and the facade of the mirror-image building opposite it, which features a perfect chequerboard composition of square sheets of statutory white marble.

The huge entrance opening onto the lounge was allocated to be a study-reading area and equipped with a large guest bathroom.

A spacious lounge opening directly onto the equally spacious entrance is flooded with light, filtering through four windows set along the street, completely reflecting the said opposite twin building on two long regular-shaped walls made of wooden panels, composed out of squares of three different essences of wood with highly contrasting veining, finished with an evanescent veil of whitening water based paint.

The rationalist-style facade unobtrusively becomes part of the simple and sober furnishing itself. The spacious and austerely designed lounge, elegant in its layout, is echoed and reflected in the private quarters facing onto the internal side of the block, fully organized with fitted furniture.

These spaces are connected together by two filter plane panels (one in grey stained glass, one in white lacquered wood) that are equally pivotal and frameless. These features are the guiding thread running through the entire project to create permeability and a sense of unobtrusiveness, right through all the different premises: landing, kitchen, laundry room, cloakroom, bedroom and bathrooms.

Project by massimilianocamoletto architects

Photo by Max Zambelli