Metaphisical Remix: Renovation of an Apartment in Turin by UDA Architetti.

Ka-pau! I hope you are enjoying this unapologetic colour injection in your day, courtesy of our friends Marcante – Testa (UdA Architetti). These guys know what’s up when it comes to mixing pattern-making, texture, colour and form in unexpected ways – I personally cannot get enough of their unique vision. Andrea Marcante and Adelaide Testa of UDA Architetti were brought on to renovate this 250 m² rented apartment on Via Roma in the centre of Torino (Turin), addressing the needs of three generations living here – a father, his daughters and their grandfather, all of whom perform the rituals of everyday life under the same roof. The brief asked for each generation to have their own private space designed to meet their specific needs. Amazing, no? Knowing that this home belongs to 3 different generations, makes me love this interior just that little bit more, and the mash-up aesthetic somehow starts to make a little more sense.

Marcante and Testa discovered that the apartment, built between 1935-1937, had completely lost all it’s original features along the way. Perception of space, precision found in rationalist architecture and metaphysical paintings from the 1930s became the sources of inspiration for the project.

See more projects by Marcante – Testa (UdA Architetti) on Yellowtrace.

Designers’ attempt to reproduce different proportions and use of materials can be seen in the plaster truss at the entrance hall, reminiscent of the coffered portico on Via Roma, where the apartment is located. Similarly, perspective distortion in the dining area ceiling, created using a combination of wallpaper and stucco finish, pays tribute to De Chirico’s surreal language. Plaster cornices that frame the ceiling create a new patterns designed to correspond with specific functions below, regardless of wall configurations.

The new system of metal shelving dispersed throughout various rooms changes the way spaces are perceived. These shelves are a direct reference to the evocative work of the artist who’s work can be found throughout the streets of Turin – from his distinctive paintings of classical cities, to the empty colonnades and perspectives found along the roads and avenues around the city.

This apartment interior is a true remix of conventional elements, contemporary colour scheme ranging from pastel to fluorescent shades, to designer pieces by the likes of Prouvé, Sarfatti, Mendini and Tom Dixon. Yep, it’s the shizzle.

Once again I find myself really impressed by the work of by Marcante – Testa (UdA Architetti) who always seem to find the way to push each of their project by injecting them with playful whimsy and loads of personality, while maintaining a certain level of restrain and sophistication. Their work is underpinned by subtle complexities held together with a strong sense of minimalist modernity. Wild use of colour, pattern, pop-culture references are held together by clean volumes, monolithic shapes and sharp detailing. Marcante – Testa (UdA Architetti)’s unique aesthetic really stands apart in the sometimes homogenised world of interior architecture, and for this I applaud them one more time.

Related Posts:
‘Grand Tour’ Apartment By UDA Architects // Bari, Italy.
An (In)Discrete Eye By UdA Architetti // Apartment Renovation In Turin, Italy.
Fun House By UdA Architetti // Holiday Apartment Renovation In Juan Les Pins, France.
UdA Ufficio Di Architettura, Italy.

[Images courtesy of Marcante – Testa (UdA Architetti). Photography © Carola Ripamonti.]