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For generations, architecture in theUK, and indeed the world, has beendominated by older white men, withlittle room for women, minorities,and representatives of other cul-

tures. Slowly but surely, this commu-nity is being infiltrated by architectsthat better represent the British pub-lic and its imperialist past. Amongthese architects is rising star DavidAdjaye. Born in Tanzania to Ghana-ian diplomat parents, David spenthis early formative years travelingthroughout Africa before settling inthe UK to complete his educationand begin his architectural career.As Mr. Adjayes fame rises, becom-ing known not only in the UK, butthroughout the world, it becomeseasy to typecast him as an Africanarchitect. Indeed, many of his ide-as are borne of African architectur-al, planning, and design ideals, butthese concepts have become designinformants rather than dictators of

particular typologies.While impossible to distill the en-

tire African continents design aes-thetic into an all encompassing ideal,there are a few artistic themes that

are consistent throughout. Highlyabstracted and rhythmic designs aremore prominent than representa-tive art. The organization of theseabstracted forms and patterns lendsitself to be understood as muchthrough the imagination as throughimmediate visual impact. This cere-

bral view of art is furthered throughthe abundance of sculpture. Acrossthe continent, three dimensionalexperiential artwork has historical-ly taken precedence over 2d works.Sculpture, architecture, and eventwo dimensional artwork such astextile designs are generally intend-ed to be experienced in the round,where the space created, contained,or interrupted by the artwork is justas important as the art itself. Thisconcept of positive-negative spacehas directly affected the design anduse of African public space. In cit-ies, public life takes place in the

Metropolis: City and Architecture /

David Adjaye: BringingAfrican Design Homeby Michelle Linden

left: adjaye associates, museum of contempo-

rary art/denver. photo by ed reeve. courtesy

of adjaye associates.

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the public visiting the Peace Cent-

er, engaging them in ideas of urbanspace. Once inside the building, visi-tors pass through a series of simi-larly designed spaces, reflecting theexterior architectural insertion. Thesculptural qualities of the buildingand public space are at once Afri-can, and yet completely modern intheir application.

Rivington Place has a particular-ly evident African graphic historic-ity. Designed to house the Instituteof International Visual Arts and

the photographic agency AutographABP, the rhythm of the interior in-forms the materiality and volumeof the exterior. That volume is en-closed in a skin whose perforationsand lattice pattern were directly in-spired by a Sowei mask from SierraLeone. This element of public ex-terior sculpture and pattern mak-ing becomes a focus for the buildingwithout sacrificing any functional-

ity, enhancing the African concept

of 3d space in art.Adjayes work uniquely incorpo-rates many of these African con-cepts of space and form into a mod-ern western application, rather thanproviding simplified reiterations ofAfrican designs. The resulting worksare truly modern structures with asubconscious memory of Britainand Africas joint past. Whether in-spired by the graphic nature of apiece of African art or craft, or in-spired by the energetic use of public

spaces, Adjaye succeeds in develop-ing this unique ethnic and architec-tural blend, helping to invigorate anarchitectural and cultural attitudethat has long ignored its imperialisthistory.

Michelle Linden is an architect based in Seattle(USA) and author of the blog Atelier A+D.

markets and streets, with citizens

occupying the 3d network created bythe absence of buildings. The rela-tionship between experiencing thethree dimensionality of the city andthe experience of sculpture and itssurrounding white space is clear.

Influenced by his early lifetraveling throughout Africa, as wellas his more recent documentationof African cities, David Adjaye has

begun to include some of these Af-rican design principles into his west-ern architectural projects. Three

such projects successfully incorpo-rating these concepts are the Muse-um of Contemporary Art in Denver,The Nobel Peace Center in Oslo, andRivington Place in Shoreditch.

The Museum of ContemporaryArt is an interesting investigationinto public and private space whoseinfluence of African planning anddesign on its form may not be im-mediately apparent. The building,

standing solemnly amid the large

plaza, functions as a collection ofspaces organized as a mini city. Theco-mingling space created in-be-tween the various rooms is crucial tothe experience. The energy of theseinformal networks is reminiscent ofthe energy found in the daily mar-kets of African cities.

The 3d and urban qualities of Af-rican design are also evident in thedesign of the Nobel Peace Center,a collaboration with Chris Ofili (anAfrican born UK artist). Because

Adjaye was not permitted to makesignificant changes to the existingstructure, he opted to create a pa-vilion space that is equal parts threedimensional sculpture and building.The tube-like pavilion interrupts thepath of travel for dignitaries and

/ Metropolis: City and architecture Metropolis: City and architecture /

above: adjaye associates, nobel peace centre.

photos by tim soar. courtesy of adjaye asso-

ciates.

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Durante generaciones, la arquitectu-ra en el Reino Unido y por extensinen el resto del mundo, ha estado do-minada por viejos hombres blancos,dejando poco espacio para las muje-res, las minoras y los representantesde otras culturas. Lentamente perosin pausa, esta comunidad ha sidoinfiltrada por arquitectos que repre-sentan mejor el pblico britnico ysu pasado imperialista. Entre estos

arquitectos hay una estrella en alza,David Adjaye. Nacido en Tanzaniade padres diplomticos originariosde Ghana, David ha dedicado susprimeros aos de formacin a viajara travs de frica antes de asentarseen el Reino Unido para completar sueducacin y comenzar su carrera enel campo de la arquitectura. Segnva creciendo la fama de Adjaye, porlo cual comienza a ser conocido noslo en el Reino Unido sino tambinen el resto del mundo, ste resulta

ms fcil de considerar como un ar-quitecto africano. De hecho, muchasde sus ideas nacen de las premisasdel diseo, la planificacin y la ar-quitectura africana, pero estos con-ceptos tienden a ser guas de diseo,pero no imposiciones de determina-das lneas particulares.

Aunque es imposible encontraruna nica esttica para los todos es-tilos existentes en el conjunto del

continente africano, hay algunos po-cos temas que estn constantementepresentes en diversos lugares. Dise-os altamente abstractos y rtmicosson ms habituales que las formasrepresentativas. La organizacin deestas formas y patrones se prestams a la imaginacin que al impac-to visual inmediato. Esta visin ce-rebral del arte va un poco ms lejoscon la omnipresencia de la escultura.

A lo largo de todo el continente, elarte en tres dimensiones ha predo-minado histricamente sobre el pro-pio de las dos dimensiones. Escul-tura, arquitectura e incluso formasen dos dimensiones como el diseotextil estn generalmente orientadaspara ser experimentadas a su alrede-dor, donde el espacio creado, conte-nido o invadido por la obra de artees tan importante como la obra dearte en s. Este concepto del espaciopositivo y negativo ha afectado di-

rectamente al diseo y al uso del es-pacio pblico en frica. En las ciu-dades, la vida pblica tiene lugar enlos mercados y en las calles, dondelos ciudadanos ocupan redes tridi-mensionales creadas por la ausenciade edificios. Es evidente la relacinentre la experiencia de lo tridimen-

/ Metrpolis: Ciudad y arquitectura

David Adjaye: Acercandoel diseo africano a casapor Michelle Linden

/ Ttulo

h edge, 2006, rumlig geometic installation. photo: cecil balmond. design: cecil balmond / agu arup

derecha: david adjaye. photo by steven hel-

ler. courtesy of adjaye associates.

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el camino de los dignatarios y el p-

blico que visita el Centro de la Paz,infundiendo en el visitante ideas so-bre el espacio urbano. Una vez enel interior del edificio, se atraviesanuna serie de espacios idnticos, re-flejando la incursin arquitectnicaexterior. Las cualidades escultricasdel edificio y del espacio pblico sonambas africanas, y completamentemodernas en su aplicacin.

Rivington Place tiene una histo-ricidad grfica tpicamente africana.Diseado para albergar el Instituto

Internacional de Artes Visuales y laagencia fotogrfica Autograph ABP,el ritmo del interior aporta materia-lidad y volumen al exterior. Este vo-lumen est introducido bajo una pielcon perforaciones y un entramadoinspirado en las mscaras Sowei deSierra Leona. Este elemento escult-rico exterior y el patrn de las ms-caras se convierte en clave para eledificio, sin sacrificar ninguna fun-

cionalidad y abundando en el con-

cepto africano de tridimensionali-dad en el arte.Los trabajos de Adjaye incorpo-

ran con carcter en modernas ela-boraciones occidentales, muchos deestos conceptos africanos de espacioy forma, en lugar de realizar sim-plificaciones reiterativas del diseoafricano. Las obras resultantes sonmodernas estructuras, que implcita-mente recuerdan el pasado conjuntoentre el Imperio Britnico y frica.Ya sea bajo la inspiracin grfica de

una pieza de arte africano, o en eluso intenso del espacio pblico, Ad-

jaye desarrolla con xito esta com-binacin nica entre arquitectura yetnicidad, ayudando a impulsar unaactitud cultural y arquitectnica queha sido largamente ignorada por lahistoria imperialista.

sional en la ciudad y la experiencia

de la escultura junto al vacio de suespacio prximo.Influenciado por lo primeros aos

de su vida en los que viaj por todafrica, as como por un trabajo dedocumentacin ms reciente sobrelas ciudades de este continente, Da-vid Adjaye ha comenzado a incluiralgunos de los principios del dise-o africano en sus proyectos de ar-quitectura occidental. Tres de estosproyectos han incorporado exitosa-mente dichos conceptos: el Museo

de Arte Contemporneo de Denver,el Centro Premio Nobel de Oslo y elRivington Place en Shoredith (Lon-dres).

El Museo de Arte Contemporneoes una investigacin interesante so-

bre los espacios pblicos y privados,en cuya planificacin y diseo noes inmediatamente aparente la in-fluencia africana. El edificio se eri-ge solemnemente en medio de una

gran plaza, acta como una colec-

cin de espacios organizados comopequeas ciudades. El espacio mixtocreado en medio de varias habitacio-nes es fundamental para esta expe-riencia. La energa de estas redes in-formales es una reminiscencia de laenerga encontrada en los mercadosde las ciudades africanas.

Lo tridimensional y las cualidadesurbanas del diseo africano son tam-

bin evidentes en el diseo del Cen-tro Premio Nobel, una colaboracincon Chris Ofili (un artista africano

nacido en el Reino Unido). Debidoa que Adjaye no tuvo permiso parahacer cambios significativos en la es-tructura existente, opt por crear unpabelln que es a partes iguales unaescultura y un edificio. La estructu-ra tubular del pabelln interrumpe

Michelle Linden es arquitecta, vive en Seattle(EE.UU.) y es autora del blog Atelier A+D.

/ Metrpolis: Ciudad y arquitectura Metrpolis: Ciudad y arquitectura /

arriba: adjaye associates, rivington place.

photos by ed reeve. courtesy of adjaye asso-

ciates.

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LocalitLocation Rivington Street, London, United Kingdom

ProgettistiArchitects Adjaye AssociatesCommittenteClient Sense of place Autograph ABP and (Iniva) Institute of International Visual Arts

FinanziamentiSupporters Arts Council England, Barclays Bank plc, London Development Agency,City Fringe Par tnership, European Regional Development Fund, Hackney Council,Bridge House Trust, Clifford Chance

Project Manager Project manager Bucknall Austin, Geoff Mayling, John Burgess

Ingegneria impiantistica Michael Popper AssociatesService engineer

Controllo computi Bucknall AustinPlanning and quantity supervisorIngegneria strutture Techniker

Structural engineer

Consulente accessibilit Earnscliffe Davies AssociatesAccess consultant

Consulente facciate Conell Mott MacDonaldFaade consultant

Consulente acustica Hann TuckerAcoustic consultant

Impresa edile Contractor Blenheim House Construction

Progetto Project time 2003 2007

Superficie complessiva Total floor area 1445m2

Adjaye AssociatesRivington Place

text by Fabio Cutroni

128-139 ADJAYE.ind d 128128-139 ADJAYE.ind d 128 30-07-2008 11:25:5030-07-2008 11:25:50

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1Latrio a tripla altezza illuminato attraversobucature vetrate e pannelliluminosi2Pianta del piano terra:1. caffetteria;2.atrio;3.galleria espositiva3Pianta del primo piano:4. spazio didattico;5.uffici; 6. servizi4Pianta del secondo piano:7.auditorium;8.biblioteca5Ledificio visto da RivingtonStreet. In primo piano la

vetrata a doppia altezzadella galleria espositivaprincipale

1The triple-height hall islit by glazed openings and

illuminated panels2Plan of the ground floor:1. cafe;2.hall;3.exhibition gallery3Plan of the first floor:4.didactic area;5.offices;6.bathrooms4Plan of the second floor:7.auditorium;8. library5The building seen fromRivington Street. Thedouble-height glazing ofthe main exhibition galleryis visible in the foreground

La mia architettura si basa su una concretacomprensione del contesto londinese. I miei pro-getti sono molto diretti ed esprimono estremachiarezza, sono uninterpretazione di Londra.David Adjaye, giovane progettista emergente diorigine africana, ma inglese dadozione sem-bra aver assimilato la lezione appresa negli studi

di Chipperfield e Souto de Moura. Una lezionedi rigore, semplicit, misura. Tuttavia, la suaspiccata sensibilit artistica, coltivata attraver-so gli studi al Royal College of Art e, in seguito,attraverso le amicizie e le collaborazioni conartisti quali Henna Nadeem, Olafur Eliasson eChris Ofili, lo induce a considerare larchitetturacome opera darte concettuale, capace di espri-mere unidea e, nello stesso tempo, di suscitareunemozione, di stimolare una reazione in chi laosserva, di influenzare il comportamento di chila vive. Cos, anche nel caso di Rivington Place uno dei suoi primi incarichi pubblici limpatto

emotivo dellimmagine prevale sulla possibilitdi una lettura immediata.Un lotto rettangolare dalle proporzioni allunga-te; incastrato, quasi soffocato tra le fitte magliedel tessuto urbano di Shoreditch quartiere pe-riferico a nord-est di Londra viene saturato da

un blocco compatto che impone la sua presenzaattraverso lenigmatica trama a scacchiera esi-bita dalle coriacee facciate principali. Ledificio,inaugurato nellottobre del 2007, ospita le sediamministrative dellInstitute of International

Visual Art e dellAutograph ABP (Association ofBlack Photographers), due organizzazioni che

da circa ventanni si interessano al lavoro diartisti provenienti da ambiti culturali differenti,promuovendo lo sviluppo e la diffusione di spe-rimentazioni nel campo delle arti visive.Il massiccio volume prismatico marca lango-lo tra Rivington Street, su cui si allinea il frontesud largo poco pi di 11 metri e RivingtonPlace, unangusta strada chiusa lungo la qua-le si dispiega limponente fronte est lungo 35metri su cui si apre latrio dingresso, appenasegnalato da un pannello metallico ruotante abandiera. Le due facciate principali essendoquella ad ovest cieca e quella a nord, verso un

piccolo parcheggio di servizio, semplicementeintonacata sono caratterizzate dallambiguatessitura geometrica di un reticolo a maglie ret-tangolari che ne traccia il pattern superficiale;questo reticolo, oltretutto, si deforma attraversoil progressivo dilatarsi dei campi verticali, man

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6Vista dellangolonord-ovest dal piccoloparcheggio di servizio, incorrispondenza delle scaledi sicurezza7Sezione longitudinale.In evidenza la galleriaespositiva a doppia altezza,latrio a tripla altezza ela copertura a denti disega degli uffici allultimopiano:1. caffetteria;2. atrio;3.galleriaespositiva;4. spaziodidattico;5.uffici;6. servizi;7.auditorium;8. biblioteca;9. studio

6View of the north-westerncorner with the smallservice parking area, nearthe emergency stairs7Longitudinal cutaway,showing the double-heightexhibition gallery, thetriple-height hall and thesaw-tooth roof of the officeson the top floor: 1. cafe;2.hall;3.exhibition gallery;4.didactic area;5.offices;6.bathrooms;7.auditorium;8. library;9. study

My architecture is based on a concrete under-standing of London. My projects are very directand express great clarity, they are an interpre-tation of London.David Adjaye, a young emergent architect ofAfrican origin but British by choice appearsto have assimilated the lessons learnt in thefirms of Chipperfield and Souto de Moura. A

lesson of rigor, simplicity and measure. But hismarked artistic sensibility, cultivated throughhis studies at the Royal College of Art and laterhis friendship and collaborations with artistsas Henna Nadeem, Olafur Eliasson and ChrisOfili, have made him consider architecture asa work of conceptual art, capable of express-ing an idea and, at the same time, to elicit anemotion, to trigger a reaction in the observer,influence the behavior of those who live in it.Thus, also in the case of Rivington Place oneof his first public assignments the emotionalimpact of the image prevails on any possible

immediate reading.An elongated rectangular plot, wedged into

and almost suffocated by the dense urban tis-sue of Shoreditch a neighborhood on thenortheastern outskirts of London is saturat-ed by a compact block that makes its presencefelt through the enigmatic chessboard patternflaunted by the harsh main facades. The build-ing, which was opened in October 2007, hoststhe administrative headquarters of the Institute

of International Visual Art and the AutographABP (Association of Black Photographers),two organizations that have, for about twenty

years, dedicated themselves to the work of art-ists from different cultural contexts, promotingthe development and diffusion of experimenta-tion in the field of visual arts.The massive prismatic volume dominates thecorner between Rivington Street, on which thesouthern faade not much more than 11 me-ters wide is aligned, and Rivington Place, anarrow closed street along which the impos-ing 35 meters long eastern faade develops;

the entrance hall, discreetly indicated by a piv-oting sign, is accessible from this side of the

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circa 50cm che conferisce plasticit scultoreaallintero fronte. Gli otto ricorsi orizzontali del-le bucature non coincidono con i cinque livellifunzionali, in quanto ad ogni piano ad ecce-zione dei primi due corrispondono due file difinestre; se vero che tale contrazione scalarenel trattamento delle facciate rende illeggibile lareale distribuzione degli spazi interni e la stra-tificazione dei piani, daltra parte la diversa al-tezza di quei ricorsi sembra ancora alludere allasovrapposizione degli elementi canonici deglispartiti classici e rinascimentali. In effetti, il pro-filo a denti di sega della copertura chiara ci-tazione delle architetture industriali della zona,seppure anchesso impostato sul ritmo variabiledelle scansioni verticali del prospetto realizzaun vero e proprio coronamento che punta la suasagoma tagliente verso il cielo.

mano che ci si addentra in Rivington Place, inmodo da contrastare leffetto prospettico della

visuale angolata da Rivington Street, facendocos apparire ledificio pi corto di quanto nonsia in realt. Al contrario, laltezza delle fasceorizzontali si riduce procedendo dal basso ver-so lalto, producendo unaccelerazione prospet-tica che genera limpressione di uno sviluppo

verticale maggiore di quello effettivo. Tale ma-croorditura delle facciate, quindi, definisce leproporzioni e le dimensioni dei pannelli prefab-bricati in calcestruzzo color antracite spessi10cm che realizzano la scacchiera dei pieni;su questa sinnesta limprevedibile alternarsidei pannelli in alluminio nero lucido montatia filo esterno e degli infissi vetrati, montati afilo esterno su Rivington Street e a filo internosu Rivington Place con un arretramento di


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8La scala dellatrio a triplaaltezza. Il corrimano ericavato in un ritaglioilluminato del muro9Pianta del terzo piano:5.uffici;6. servizi10

Pianta del quarto piano:5.uffici11Gli uffici al terzo piano,in corrispondenzadellangolo tra RivingtonStreet e Rivington Place.In evidenza la disposizionea scacchiera dellebucature, ora a filo delpavimento, ora a filo delsoffitto

8The stairs in the triple-height hall. The handrailis housed by a lit cut inthe wall9Plan of the third floor:5.offices;6.bathrooms10

Plan of the fourth floor:5.offices11The offices on the thirdfloor, by the cornerbetween Rivington Streetand Rivington Place.Notice the chessboardarrangement of theopenings, some on floorlevel and some flush withthe ceiling

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building. The two main facades the westernone is blind and the northern, which faces asmall parking area for service use, is simplyplastered are characterized by the ambiguousgeometric plot of a grid formed by rectangu-lar modules; the grid is moreover defined bya progressive expansion of the vertical fields,

towards the interior of Rivington Place, thatcontrasts with the perspective effect of the an-gular view from Rivington street, something

which makes the building appear shorter thanit really is. On the other hand, the horizontalbands become narrower towards the top; theresult is a perspective acceleration that givesan impression of greater height. The faadegrid therefore determines the proportions anddimensions of the 10cm thick prefabricatedpanels in anthracite gray concrete which formthe enormous chessboard: this arrangementfeatures an unpredictable alternation of pan-

els in glossy black aluminium flush with theconcrete plates and the windows, flush with

the faade on Rivington street and recessed byabout 50cm on Rivington Place; the overall im-pression is one of sculptural plasticity.The eight horizontal rows of openings and pan-els do not correspond to the five floors, sinceeach of them except the first two has tworows of openings; while this gradual reduction

in scale makes it impossible to perceive theactual distribution of the interiors and the po-sition of the floors, on the other hand the differ-ent heights of these rows also seem to suggestthe superimposition of the canonical elementsthat determine the proportions of classical andRenaissance buildings. Indeed, the sawtoothprofile of the roof a clear reference to theindustrial architectures in the neighborhood,even if also this is based on the variable verti-cal rhythm determined by the facades formsa true crown, pointing its cutting outline to-

wards the sky. The cryptic and gloomy sullen-

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Allermetica e cupa scontrosit dellesterno sicontrappone la sorprendente luminosit edaccoglienza degli interni. I quasi 1500mq dellapianta sono distribuiti da un atrio a tripla altez-za attorno al quale gravitano gli spazi aperti alpubblico e si attestano i collegamenti verticali.Al piano terra, mentre la galleria espositiva prin-cipale si proietta su Rivington Street attraversounampia vetrata a doppia altezza, il caff si af-faccia in fondo a Rivington Place con unaper-tura orizzontale che taglia il prospetto fino allahall dingresso. Al primo piano sono ricavati unlaboratorio didattico ed una sala per riunioni.Al secondo piano trovano posto unaltra gal-leria espositiva, che grazie ad un sistema dipedane telescopiche pu essere trasformatain piccolo auditorio, ed una biblioteca. In que-

sta, di sicuro tra gli ambienti pi suggestivi delcomplesso, leffetto di smaterializzazione del-le pareti esterne ricercato mediante il giocodelle bucature disposte casualmente, ora a filodel calpestio, ora a filo del soffitto moltipli-cato dalle scaffalature in compensato di betul-la che ne foderano interamente il lato interno.La serie degli ambiti funzionali si conclude congli uffici amministrativi agli ultimi due livelli,serviti unicamente dagli ascensori e dalle scaledi sicurezza. Al quarto piano, in particolare, lacompressione verticale dello spazio bilanciatadagli scatti acuminati della copertura a shed,con le pareti verticali inaspettatamente chiuse e,

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12Gli uffici allultimo piano.La copertura a shedpresenta le pareti verticalicieche e quelle inclinatescavate da sporadicilucernari13Sezione trasversalesullatrio a tripla altezza e

sulla scala di sicurezza:2.uffici;5. atrio14La biblioteca al secondopiano, in corrispondenzadellangolo tra RivingtonStreet e Rivington Place.Le pareti sono interamentefoderate da una boiseriein compensato di betulla

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15Dettaglio della pareteesterna, in corrispondenzadegli infissi vetrati arretratidi 50cm:1.pannello prefabbricatoin calcestruzzo;2.pannelloisolante H42/482;3. infisso;4. impermeabilizzazione;5. lamiera dalluminio;6.barriera al vapore;7.pannello in cartongesso;8.pavimento16Gli uffici allultimo livello.In primo piano uno deilucernari scavati nellesuperfici inclinate dellacopertura a shed17Scorcio dellatrio atripla altezza dalla scalaprincipale

12The offices on the topfloor. The shed roof hasblind vertical walls, whilethe inclined ones areexcavated by a scatteringof skylights

13Transversal cutaway of thetriple-height hall and theemergency stairs:2.offices;5.hall14The library on the secondfloor, by the cornerbetween Rivington Streetand Rivington Place.The walls are lined bya wainscot in beechplywood15Detail of the external wall,by the windows recessedby 50cm: 1.prefabricatedconcrete panel;2. insulating panel typeH42/482;3.casing;4.waterproofing;5. sheetaluminium;6. insulatingpanel type H42/482;7.plasterboard;8. floor16The offices on the topfloor. One of the skylightsexcavated in the inclinedsurfaces of the shedroof are visible in theforeground17

View of the triple-height

hall from the main stairs

of the interior. The almost 1500m2 of the planare distributed by a triple-height atrium on

which the public areas center, and which pro-vides access to stairs and elevators. While themain exhibition gallery faces Rivington Streetthrough an ample double-height glazed front,the caf overlooks the end of Rivington Placefrom a horizontal window that cuts the per-spective all the way to the entrance hall. Thesecond floor features another exhibition gal-lery a system of telescopic platforms makesit possible to transform it into a small audito-rium and a library. In the latter, definitely oneof the most fascinating rooms in the building,the walls appear dematerialized thanks to the

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casual arrangement of the windows, some ofwhich are on floor level while others reachthe ceiling, an effect which is accentuated bythe shelves in birch plywood which cover theentire inner wall. The sequence of functionalrooms is concluded with the administrative of-fices on the last two floors, only accessible bythe elevators and the emergency stairs. On thefourth floor, in particular, the vertical compres-sion of the space is offset by the sequence ofhigher points formed by the shed roof and theunexpectedly closed vertical walls, while theskylights opened here and there in the largesloping surfaces facing north create a magicalillumination.


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InformazioniInformation

Illuminazione ALC ArchitecturalLighting Lighting & Controls Ltd

Cemento HIBEXConcrete

Ceramica FirezoneGlazing (Specialist Glazing Ltd)

Ed

Reeve

17

Ed

Reeve

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