Architectural Frames: Marcante-Testa Transform Milan’s Historic Attic Apartment.

Dubbed ‘Architectural Frames’, this Milanese apartment renovation by Marcante-Testa occupies a 150-square-meter attic in Roberto Carlo Dell’Acqua’s 1927 building on Via De Togni. Completed in 2023, the project underscores Marcante-Testa’s innovative approach to addressing the unique challenges posed by the apartment’s structure.

The client, a professional couple with a child, engaged the Turin-based duo early in the purchasing phase to explore the apartment’s potential. Their brief centred on maximising natural light, enhancing views of Stelline Park from the living room, and achieving greater ceiling heights in rooms with sloping roofs. Marcante-Testa’s solution involved significant architectural modifications, including creating “pocket” terraces with large French doors.

Andrea Marcante and Adelaide Testa’s design philosophy is profoundly influenced by the late Italian architect, designer and painter Umberto Riva. “His work remains fundamental for us, particularly his concept that furniture design is an extension of architecture and not the other way around,” explained the duo. This principle is evident in the custom-designed doors and oak veneer dividers that replace traditional masonry. These elements create flexible spatial relationships, allowing areas like the living room and kitchen to be interconnected or separated as needed. The entry space, for instance, can be transformed into a study for remote work, while the kitchen enjoys an elevated view that appears to float above the tree canopy.

Past Meets Future: Architextile Apartment in Trieste by Marcante Testa.

In true Marcante Testa style, this apartment in Trieste doesn't just reflect the past but remains balanced through various contemporary dimensions. Unexpected chromatic deliver visual continuity while inserting elements of "intentional discontinuity".

“In our projects, the design of the furniture becomes a tool to frame views of the outside, capturing portions of the landscape and bringing them into the home,” elaborated Adelaide Testa on what’s perhaps the most striking aspect of the project—its ability to brings the outside in, a concept inspired by the Japanese technique of Shakkei, or “borrowed scenery”. The large doors/windows on the new terraces frame the external landscape from floor to ceiling, creating a series of architectural frames that orient visual perspectives within the home while establishing a visual connection to the external landscape.

True to Marcante-Testa’s form, the meticulous attention to detail is apparent throughout the apartment. With their playful geometric shapes, the portals add a dynamic element to the architecture. The design not only addresses practical concerns but also instils an element of whimsy. “Every detail has been meticulously crafted, especially in the attic area, where the furnishings and windows follow the inclination of the walls,” noted Andrea Marcante.

An Ode to Gio Ponti: A 1920s Apartment in Milan by David/Nicolas.

Refurbishing a property designed by one architectural icon and redesigned by another can scare even the mightiest of architects. But the Lebanese design duo David/Nicolas are immune to such angst.

“We used colour to enhance the space, chose fabrics with geometric patterns, and floral-patterned wallpapers by William Morris as a nod to past eras contemporary with the building’s construction,” elaborated Adelaide Testa. “We designed wooden panelling, the kitchen, and selected furnishings with references to a more recent past, aiming to find a balance in the temporal layering and its relationship with the architecture.”

When asked if they would’ve done anything differently, the pair candidly commented: “We had chosen furniture and lighting in line with the objectives of the interior architecture project, selecting predominantly 1980s design products by Milanese designers. Unfortunately, this choice was not shared by the clients, who preferred to opt for contemporary furniture.”

Despite the challenges, Marcante-Testa maintained a fruitful dialogue throughout the process, ensuring the finishes and combinations aligned with the project’s overall vision. The result is a harmonious blend of old and new, where architecture and interior design coalesce to create a functional and beautiful space.

Good Things from Bad Taste: House Renovation in Cavallermaggiore by Marcante Testa.

With a metal structure in burnt clementine winding throughout and a strip of blue resin, Marcante Testa’s contemporary layer strikes a delicate balance between joyful nostalgia and the functions of contemporary life in this early 20th Century home in Cavallermaggiore.

[Images courtesy of Marcante-Testa. Photography by Carola Ripamonti.]