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Apartment and Commercial Building
Corso Italia 22-24, Milano
1957 - 64
In
the years 1957 to 1961 Luigi Caccia Dominioni had the opportunity to
realize a mixed use complex of apartments, offices and commercial
units, located on the Corso Italia.
The commercial units are to be found on the ground floor, on the first and second floors facing the street are located mostly offices, while the remaining parts of the complex
are occupied by apartments. Considering a site as centrally situated, the client requested a notably high density. Unfortunately, the area was compromised by previous
speculative interventions. Luigi Caccia Dominioni confronted these circumstances with the confidence derived from a profound knowledge of his craft and profession,
as well as from his faith in being able to reflect on the interaction of the Milanese character adapted for this special site. The realized complex is, along with
the overall planning for the Corso Europa, among the most interesting projects by Luigi Caccia Dominioni in Milan, because of the unique complexity of
the themes involving urban planning and the variety and richness of his responses. Traditional quatations, such as the classical shutters and the balconies
almost become one with innovative materials and architectural details such as the large glassed walls and the aluminium winows.
On the site for this development there were few traces left of the pre-indusrial city, whereas whereas more recent buildings had made radical changes
in both the height and character of the city's architecture. Luigi Caccia Dominioni elaborated a solution which adhered to the original context of
the history of the ancient urban fabric that was still perceptible in Milan, even though this was made very difficult by earlier transformations.
The church of St. Eufemia, located directly oposite the plot where rises this project, was instrumental in leading to limit the height of
the central portion that fronts the street to a relatively low three stories, corresponding to the height of some buildings from pre-industrial Milan
that still existed in the area. The first three storie are confined by two slender towers at the sides - clad with small, square, matte-red tiles -
that continue rising for another three floors which are free on all sides. The two bands of curtain-walls are more and more cantilevered
with increading height. The considerable remaining of the building area is located in the innermost portion of the parcel. A ten-story tower
clad in nearly black clinker contrasts with the remaining construction, not only regarding the colour but also the architectural language.
This building is laid out on an irregular pentagonal plan and is butted up against the windowless side of a neighbouring apartment block.
This tower takes up again the theme of the Villa Multipla. The individual floors contain each only one apartment. However, all floor plans differ from each other.
The entrance to the apartments is made directly from the elevator. The staircase is only used as an escape route and as access for the staff.
Continuing the block that begins in Corso Italia, an entirely residential part of the building is drawn towards the interior. This volume
tries to blend into the surrounding context of old Milan with a linear approach to massing the steps down as it heads towards the
courtyard with garden. The large entry way, connected to the church of St. Eufemia, widens into soft shapes in its innermost part and
is solved in strong continuity with the courtyard and the garden. This access organzies the distrubution to the various floors of
the architectural complex. On the interior, Luigi Caccia Dominioni collaborated once more with the sculptor Francesco Somaini,
who was responsible for the terrazzo flooring.
The commercial units are to be found on the ground floor, on the first and second floors facing the street are located mostly offices, while the remaining parts of the complex
are occupied by apartments. Considering a site as centrally situated, the client requested a notably high density. Unfortunately, the area was compromised by previous
speculative interventions. Luigi Caccia Dominioni confronted these circumstances with the confidence derived from a profound knowledge of his craft and profession,
as well as from his faith in being able to reflect on the interaction of the Milanese character adapted for this special site. The realized complex is, along with
the overall planning for the Corso Europa, among the most interesting projects by Luigi Caccia Dominioni in Milan, because of the unique complexity of
the themes involving urban planning and the variety and richness of his responses. Traditional quatations, such as the classical shutters and the balconies
almost become one with innovative materials and architectural details such as the large glassed walls and the aluminium winows.
On the site for this development there were few traces left of the pre-indusrial city, whereas whereas more recent buildings had made radical changes
in both the height and character of the city's architecture. Luigi Caccia Dominioni elaborated a solution which adhered to the original context of
the history of the ancient urban fabric that was still perceptible in Milan, even though this was made very difficult by earlier transformations.
The church of St. Eufemia, located directly oposite the plot where rises this project, was instrumental in leading to limit the height of
the central portion that fronts the street to a relatively low three stories, corresponding to the height of some buildings from pre-industrial Milan
that still existed in the area. The first three storie are confined by two slender towers at the sides - clad with small, square, matte-red tiles -
that continue rising for another three floors which are free on all sides. The two bands of curtain-walls are more and more cantilevered
with increading height. The considerable remaining of the building area is located in the innermost portion of the parcel. A ten-story tower
clad in nearly black clinker contrasts with the remaining construction, not only regarding the colour but also the architectural language.
This building is laid out on an irregular pentagonal plan and is butted up against the windowless side of a neighbouring apartment block.
This tower takes up again the theme of the Villa Multipla. The individual floors contain each only one apartment. However, all floor plans differ from each other.
The entrance to the apartments is made directly from the elevator. The staircase is only used as an escape route and as access for the staff.
Continuing the block that begins in Corso Italia, an entirely residential part of the building is drawn towards the interior. This volume
tries to blend into the surrounding context of old Milan with a linear approach to massing the steps down as it heads towards the
courtyard with garden. The large entry way, connected to the church of St. Eufemia, widens into soft shapes in its innermost part and
is solved in strong continuity with the courtyard and the garden. This access organzies the distrubution to the various floors of
the architectural complex. On the interior, Luigi Caccia Dominioni collaborated once more with the sculptor Francesco Somaini,
who was responsible for the terrazzo flooring.