Situated just a few steps away from the Rocca Sforzesca of Imola, the Santa Cristina Mill, part of a complex of seven hundred year old industrial buildings that despite its age, had retained much of its original charm and character. MC A’s restoration of the upper floors of the mill was intended to enhance the pure, untouched atmosphere of industrial architecture of the time, while transforming it into the firm’s current studio. Much of the effort focused on recovering and preserving as many architectural elements as possible such as the old floor boards made from 5 cm. thick solid larch wood; the trussed roof with bleached beams, similar to those found in barns throughout the countryside; the silo for the grain storage, which has been transformed into an uncommon, intimate space for meetings; and the entrance door, created by assembling pieces of the old machine used to sift the grain, is Costanzi’s tribute to Jean Prouvé. The aim was to transform the space into an unconventional atelier. A peaceful setting where work and home might intersect. The architect’s design philosophy are at the heart of the project: expressing the balance and variation between opposing materials, tactile sensations, lights and shadows. In this project the intent was to define a highly contemporary and timeless space, while avoiding the declaration of innovation itself. “I had in my mind a space where it would be possible to live fine 24 hours a day. The result went further, since I think I could easily move here with my family and my dog”.

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