CITYLIFE

Marcante-Testa’s project involves the renovation of a 120-square-metre apartment within one of the residential buildings designed by Daniel Libeskind in the CityLife complex in Milan. Despite the strong architectural identity of the exterior, the interior spaces appeared as a neutral container, poorly suited to the needs of a family of four and inadequate for accommodating a significant portion of the clients’ art collection, conceived not as a decorative addition but as an integral presence in everyday life.

The project stems from a desire to question the potential of contemporary living within newly built residential architecture, which often struggles to establish a direct dialogue with the historical and urban context in which it is set. The challenge was to identify and enhance the strengths of the existing space, limiting demolitions to a minimum and working through subtraction, in order to provide the interiors with an autonomous and recognisable architectural identity.

The home is conceived as an open system, in which the inhabitants’ well-being is closely linked to the conscious use of colour, the choice of sustainable materials — such as linoleum flooring — and a continuous visual relationship between interior and exterior spaces. Colour, in particular, becomes a tool for spatial articulation: starting from the skirting boards, it accompanies and differentiates rooms and functions, constructing a domestic language capable of reflecting habits, rhythms and identities, far removed from purely aesthetic concerns or predefined models.

The internal layout was optimised through targeted interventions on the existing walls, combined with the use of curtains and the design of ceiling mouldings. These elements are not merely decorative, but serve to define the functional areas below — dining, conversation and conviviality — introducing a more fluid and layered reading of domestic space. A number of bespoke architectural elements entirely replace traditional partitions, becoming inhabitable devices that integrate niches and recesses specifically designed to accommodate selected artworks, chosen together with the clients during the design process. Equipped walls with integrated shelving also allow for the flexible rotation of artworks, supporting the owners’ desire for change and transformation over time.

Particular attention was given to the relationship with the outdoor spaces, conceived as natural extensions of the domestic interior. The terraces are transformed into open-air rooms, designed both for children’s play and for social life, with outdoor dining and lounge areas that expand the living space. The proximity of neighbouring buildings and, in some cases, the lack of privileged views led to the conception of a true “green belt” surrounding the apartment — a visual and environmental filter developed in collaboration with landscape designer Chiara Martini.

This new domestic landscape is composed of a rich variety of plants with staggered seasonal blooms, enhanced by a dedicated lighting system. In the evening hours, the perception of being immersed in nature is intensified, creating the illusion that the space extends beyond its physical boundaries — a reference to the Japanese technique of shakkei, in which the surrounding landscape is metaphorically “borrowed” and incorporated into the architecture.