Historic Building Remodel
Lombardy
Italy
Story
Lodi is an ancient place, originally a Celtic village whose strategic position on the River Adda eventually meant many of its Gallic people became early citizens of the Roman Empire. Napoleon won one of his earliest crucial battles here in 1796. It is a charming, historic European city centre that our clients had fallen in love with.
Challenge
Building in such a place offers a myriad of challenges; to live amidst such elegant charm comes at a steep price. High initial land acquisition costs—up to $1 million for 1,000 square-foot flats—shrinks construction budgets and severely reduces the margin for error. Development regulations are fiercely protective (even the simple drilling of a hole in a historical building requires a permit). But our clients had decided to take the plunge, knowing they had to protect their return on investment by maximizing how their precious space was utilized and controlling both short-term construction and long-term maintenance costs.
Solution
So as to maximize usable space and create an uncluttered living area, an open concept was introduced to the interior by avoiding the use of pillars. Creative coloring for walls and ceilings was used to create continuity and a sense of distinct areas within the space. This minimalist approach helped lower costs by circumventing the need for custom-built furniture, millwork, or cabinetry (with stylish mass-market storage systems used instead). But high-quality mechanical plumbing and electrical fixtures (including exposed heating elements that amplify the modernist motif) lower long-term maintenance costs.
