Façade of the headquarters of Intesa Sanpaolo in Como

AMDL CIRCLE has upgraded the façade of the headquarters of Intesa Sanpaolo, which overlooks Piazza Cavour in Como. The building, designed in the 1960s by architect Luca Saibene and engineer Gino Morganti, was characterized by a continuous façade with aluminium uprights and beams supporting the large windows. Respecting the original composition, the project renders the view dynamic thanks to the setting back of the façade with respect to the line of the building; with this new guise the building fits harmoniously into the urban fabric and into the dialogue with the surrounding buildings, mainly of the type for hospitality and commerce. The depth obtained by the setting back generates outdoor volumetric portions where loggias and terraces are included, connecting the indoor life of the office with the outdoor world and the nature of the lake. The flat surface acquires plasticity and is enhanced by an interplay of light and shade; the burnished brass of the door and window frames and pilaster strips structures its rhythm. The original geometry of the structure is maintained and defined by the new natural stone covering.