Commercial building | Ottavio Di Blasi

The original idea behind the project was designing a building whose layout could be as free and fexible as possible. The building structure is made of reinforced concrete, and the perimeter curtain walls are entirely made of “U glass”, to let in as much natural light as possible during the daytime. That’s why a second skin was applied to the outside parts of the building, made of a modular steel frame fitted with metal sheets sunscreens or, alternatively, adjustable flaps made of Canadian cedar wood, which is extremely weather resistant. The building is constructed on two levels: the ground floor, partly underground, is designed for storage and manufacturing purposes, while the first floor serves customer relations and is connected directly to the road. The low budget called for the use of standard products and materials, such as “U glass” and galvanised steel sheets. The client also owns a carpenter’s shop, so wood was chosen for the fixtures and the adjustable laminas on the facade. Cost-effectiveness and maximum use of available resources were the key guidelines in the project brief.