CLIENTREALSTEP SICAF
LOCATIONMILANO, ITALY
YEAR2026
STATUSBUILT
TEAMSUPERSPATIAL
The former industrial space, located within the new Certosa district, has been transformed into a multifunctional and highly flexible environment designed to accommodate art exhibitions, cultural events, temporary installations, conferences, and a wide range of other activities. The project enhances the building's existing spatial qualities, reinterpreting them to meet the demands of a contemporary program in constant evolution.
The large central volume forms the heart of the intervention, conceived as a neutral and adaptable space capable of transforming according to different modes of use. A modular technical ceiling system, inspired by theatrical stage rigging, provides exceptional flexibility in managing lighting, exhibition setups, and building services, while the clean, uncluttered surfaces—free from permanent characterizations—offer an ideal backdrop for exhibitions, performances, and events of all kinds.
The double-height atrium serves as the primary space for reception and social interaction, highlighted by a helical staircase that becomes both an iconic feature of the project and a connective device linking the different levels. Thanks to its transparency and open configuration, this space acts as an urban threshold, establishing a dialogue between the building and the surrounding neighborhood while reinforcing its public character.
The intervention preserves and celebrates the site's original industrial identity through the restoration of existing structural elements, materials, and construction details, which remain exposed as tangible evidence of the building's history. At the same time, the expansive internal volume is reimagined through the insertion of new functional volumes and circulation elements that organize the space without compromising its overall spatial continuity.
The dialogue between the existing structure and the new additions creates a contemporary environment that successfully combines memory, flexibility, and openness to new forms of collective use.