San Donato Milanese (Milano) - Italy
Studio Panti, Panti Gianluca e Lodovica Locatelli - Edilizia pubblica e dei servizi

Quarzite Ceniza Extreme Active 75x37,5 cm, Serie100 Grey70 Active 75x75 cm, White Ground Active 60x30 cm, Beige Ground Active 60x30 cm, Pietra Serena Active 60x30 cm, NewCo.de Desert Exté Active 30x30 cm : 1570 mq (ca.)

The project is part of the "Proposal for the incremental upgrading of the public residential assets provided by PPERP 2007/2009" and is designed to be an example of the use of experimental housing and special social housing projects in the municipal public residential assets.

The project in question, compared with its historical context and as the completion of the public residential quarter of Via Solari, Milan (designed by G. Broglio in 1906), is a response to new local living requirements for old people and young couples, employing a low cost, minimal building approach. Since this type of structure is assigned to disadvantaged persons, and hence also has a high rate of turnover, it employs highly durable materials and technologies which also permit reduced repair and maintenance times. The new building, of 1,475 m2 over 5 storeys above ground and one underground storey, houses 15 two-room apartments composed of living room/kitchen, bathroom with elevated storage space and bed room. The building not only has shared spaces on each floor, but also a common laundry room on the 4th floor and a common living area on the ground floor, which is also used by the entire quarter. The project is designed for a high level of environmental compatibility, both in terms of use of heating energy sources, and of eco-compatible materials, as well as the use of highly durable, low maintenance finishing materials.

GranitiFiandre Active materials are used as internal finishing in the apartments for a total coverage of 1,390 m2 and for the facade (180 m2), thanks to their durability, low maintenance requirements and salubriousness in relation to the type of building (social housing for old people and young couples), as well as to improve the interior micro-climate, especially during the winter, when the cold weather prohibits airing the spaces as much as might be desired. The shared areas, outside the building, employ Active materials in the common walkways (New Co.De. Exté Desert collection), also due to their anti-slip characteristics, while the perimeter wall base is clad in a material which better reflects the finishing of historic buildings (Quarzite Ceniza Extreme Active). The shared living space on the ground floor employs Serie100 Grey70 Active materials, while the living areas are tiled with ACTIVE Beige Ground, White Ground and Pietra Serena.

Note how the design has given priority to colours and textures which ensure a continuity of style - simple styling and materials on the facades (plaster and stone), as part of the Milanese context of the start of the last century.