Unioncamere Lombardia Headquarters

date: 1997 – 2000
client: Unioncamere Lombardia
Regional Union of the Commerce Chambers in Lombardy
object: Restructuring of a building to be used as new headquarters of Unioncamere Lombardia, Milan
size data:
Surface 4,800 sq. m.
Volumetry 14,880 c. m.
project stage: General coordination
Preliminary, definitive, executive project and works direction. Furniture project

The building and functional recovery of the real estate, built in 1970, was done by working both on the outside skin as well as on the internal areas and systems, with the goal of improving the architectural qualities and energy efficiency.
Work was done on the outside of the building, the fundamental element that converses with the city, trying to convey the “vitality” that Unioncamere represents. It is comprised of two elements: the opaque “skin”, with its aesthetical function and thermal casing, and the transparent one that is made up of window and door frames and brise-soleil necessary to improve efficiency of solar regulation.
The functional recalibration of the internal areas and the study of the systems were done ensuring the maximum distributive and functional flexibility in the handling of possible future layouts, paying particular attention to the quality control of illumination engineering, acoustics chromatics and material, creating a catalogue of the components including the elements necessary for the realisation of the highest ambient comfort possible. The new cover is made of ventilated skin, with 6 cm of mineral wool and strips in aluminium,150 cm long, which ensure a decisive reduction of direct radiation on the façade and as a consequence a reduction of the size of the building’s cooling system.

This system allows a size reduction of the conditioning system equal to 23%. The areas scaled for different operational units, going from one to six, are immediately perceptible and distributed along a central route that is separate from the spaces by movable partition walls, in blind parts and glass parts, soundproofed to 42db.
The permeability between various areas is achieved by means of the gauged seri-graphics of the dividing walls and double-glazing. Such a solution permits a unitary and involving view perception ensuring a good diffusion of natural light in the internal areas.
Particular attention was paid to checking the quality of the illumination engineering, acoustics, chromatics and metrics, creating a catalogue including the elements necessary for the realisation of maximum environmental comfort.
A distribution system that ensures maximum flexibility in the management of possible future layouts. The coordinated image of the office areas anticipates that each level/function corresponds to a different identifying colour. Toughened glass direction panels placed at the opening of the elevators allow the individual to identify the ways and the functions corresponding to the various levels.