How bespoke design transforms industrial spaces into fluid and coherent living systems.
The redevelopment of a former electrical substation demonstrates how metal can become the pivotal element in stitching together architecture and interior design. Siderio interpreted the space through a unified system, where structural elements – such as door portals, partitions, and the staircase – are not mere accessories, but guides that map out visual and functional pathways. Within this context, icons like the Ventiventi bookshelves and the Linea collection tables integrate naturally, creating an aesthetic language where the strength of dark iron meets a surprising formal lightness.
Bespoke solutions for out-of-scale volumes
Working within an industrial environment means confronting imposing proportions, as demonstrated by the 7-meter-high portal cladding created for the ground floor. To manage a structure of this magnitude, the technical office engineered a modular system composed of several elements, designed to integrate perfectly with the site’s construction logic. This approach allowed for the maintenance of clean lines and controlled geometries, defining the volumes without weighing them down and respecting the building’s original architectural rhythm.
The balance between raw matter and technical detail
The project’s character lies in the choice of 1.5 mm sheet in raw iron finish, with beeswax to enhance its natural depth. The challenge of using such thin thicknesses on large surfaces was solved through a perimeter fold that creates a “structural edge”: a technical detail that provides stability and rigidity to the entire system. The result is a defined and solid surface that transforms metallic matter into a distinctive expressive feature, capable of enhancing industrial archaeology with contemporary precision.
Credits:
Client: Reuse With Love odv
Architectural Design: CONTROLUCE architettura; MCA architects
Project Management: arch. Emanuele Dionigi
Photography: arch. Francesco Rioda
