The recent restructuring of a 1950s office block on Treviso’s old Piazza San Vito led to the creation of office space and two private apartments. The design, by the Arplan practice in conjunction with Taarchitettura, deliberately used materials and dimensions to create interplay with the surrounding edifices.
The use of finely sandblasted “yellow” Istrian stone for the main elevation draws on the traditional local use of this material. The bronze in the door and window frames picks up the dark hues of the glazing, restricting the view and emphasising the chiaroscuro interaction between solids and voids.
The internal restructuring work was all encompassing, creating seven floors from the ground floor up to the roof terrace. The first three storeys are for offices, with a double-height entrance dominated by an impressive polished steel and bronze spiral staircase created by Astec. The placement of a large window not only creates a connection between inside and outside, but also frames the staircase for those looking in. Similarly, for those inside, the glazing provides ambient light while allowing glimpses of what’s happening on the square.
The top four floors are taken up by the apartments, with one occupying a single floor and the other the top three storeys. The roof terrace is accessible from one of the apartments, providing splendid city views out across all four sides of the building.
The doors and windows on the facades are from Astec’s ABX ® series in “architectural bronze”. Astec did more than just supply its products, also providing engineering services and support so that all the design choices could become reality. At times this required ad hoc solutions. The design of the glazed sections was central to the whole plan, requiring certain alterations to standard Astec products. For example, the glazing beads and backlining were reduced to meet design requirements. The penthouse level has a large room that looks out, on three sides, onto the old centre. These facades are made of architectural bronze and glass, with full-height reflective glazing and sliding doors. Architectural bronze and glass were also selected for the winter garden, to create an outdoor space for all seasons. The specially made items include the aforementioned one-piece polished steel and bronze spiral staircase, and some finishings, such as the covers for the intercom stations. The sound and thermal insulation are also excellent.
ASTEC Via Tarantelli, 17
I - 31030 Dosson di Casier (TV)
Tel. +39 0422 490183 r.a.
Fax +39 0422 383120
www.astec.itwww.abxbronze.com
