Centro direzionale SNAM

Invited to take part in the competition for the SNAM business centre within the sphere of the Symbiosis urban development plan in Milan, the CIRCLE presented a “U”-shaped building (as defined by the masterplan) with a clear architectural identity, representing the innovative and dynamic company that is SNAM. It is a permeable architecture the ground floor of which is an area of transition that naturally connects the “public space” and the “company space”, which can share a series of services. The form of the storeys is that of an open circle that embraces an inner courtyard, the true fulcrum of the project, where the integration of water and a selection of plants are intended to bring biodiversity inside the city.
Major attention has been devoted to defining the sensory qualities of the space: the interior climate, the quality of the light and air, acoustic comfort, the choice of colours and materials, the variety of the vegetation and fragrances.
On the floors the offices are to be found in shared and collective spaces, such as the food court, fitness area, library, kindergarten and auditorium. This structuring of different atmospheres is supported by the integration of double-height spaces and semi-open terraces or loggias offering informal and alternative working environments, always including vegetation. The reinforced concrete columns and the visible installations reflect a precise choice that adopts the aesthetic codes of the untreated and unfinished. On the ground floor monolithic cement columns support traditional type upper floors.
The covering of the façade with vertical ceramic strips, which call to mind the “klinker” tiles of the industrial sheds of Milan, gives the building a unique identity in the context of Symbiosis. This double skin gives shade to the workspaces but also serves to disguise the standardised effect that is often associated with buildings for work. On the highest level are the panoramic garden terraces, which are inclined to shade the roof.