Brutalist 1960s Milan Apartment Reimagined by ESA Studio.

In a southeast corner of Milan, architect Emilio Scarano of ESA Studio has reimagined a 160-square-metre apartment within a striking 1969 brutalist complex. The original building, designed by Giuseppe Chiodi and the Passerelli studio, is a bit of an architectural rebel, breaking Milan’s rigid urban grid with its bold cross-shaped volumes positioned diagonally to the city’s orthogonal axes.

Recognised for its raw materiality, the structure celebrates exposed reinforced concrete, with round columns stepping back from the façade line, complemented by solid brick walls and full-height glass panes. It’s this honest expression of materials that captured Scarano’s imagination long before he took on the project.

“I lived in this neighbourhood and have always looked at this complex with great curiosity,” shares Scarano. “During my first visit, I realised how strong and radical the use of concrete, brick, and glass was, emphasised by a myriad of details. Pure material, absence of decor.”

Glory Days Revisited: Brutalist Apartment in Milan by Eligo Studio.

Originally designed by Lucio Passarelli and Giuseppe Chiodi, this late 60s brutalist apartment in Milan’s Porta Romana has its glory days revisited by Eligo Studio’s playful and considered vision.

Rather than fighting against these brutalist bones, Scarano’s intervention amplifies them. In the living area, he liberated four bush-hammered concrete columns from their storage room confines, allowing them to become rhythm-setting elements that march from the entrance to the glass wall beyond. One column now sports a striking red metal sheet lamp, while another acts as a focal point between two full-height kitchen niches.

It’s Scarano’s commitment to “pure material and absence of décor” coupled with his approach to spatial flow that sets this project apart. Rejecting the typical open-plan layout, he’s created what he calls a “narrative made of pauses and accents.” The space unfolds through a series of choreographed glimpses—narrow vertical cuts no wider than 100 millimetres offer teasing views between spaces, while a curved wall guides natural light into the corridor with surprising grace.

“I shy away from the idea of an open space, a single space where boundaries are lost, and activities blend together,” Scarano explains. “I seek the narrative, made of pauses and accents, but above all, anticipations that, in spatial terms, are glimpses.”

Drawing from his extensive experience working alongside Umberto Riva and his deep appreciation for artisanal crafts, Scarano has created a home that’s both respectful of its architectural heritage and thoroughly modern in its functionality.

60s Archives 🎉

See more renovation projects dating back to or referencing the 60s in Yellowtrace archives.

[Images courtesy of ESA Studio. Photography by Nicolò Panzeri.]