A building within a building

By Editorial Staff - 6 September 2023
Marazzi, Resstende have participated in the project

Mozzanica&Mozzanica, an Italian company that deals with the design and construction of fire-resistant systems, has completed a renovation and expansion project that saw the transformation of their production site in Osnago, in the province of Lecco, into a real headquarters, dedicated not just to production and company offices but also to innovation and training.

Alessandro Villa studio’s design sought to create a new volume moving within the contours of the existing building. One building within another: in this way, the corporate headquarters was enhanced with new rooms for offices and training spaces.

The vast surfaces, the notable heights of the rooms and a wide structural grid, characterized by pillars placed at large distances, allowed the architects to increase the volume of the building while staying within the existing perimeter. The original core intended for office use on the ground floor was expanded, extending to the warehouse on the floor above. In addition, a wide auditorium was created, to which a cafeteria area was added. All the rooms on the ground floor, dedicated to visitors, were designed to be fluid and in communication with each other, and the large double-height atrium becomes the pivot around which the entire distribution logic of the space revolves. A welcoming and directional space for guests, it also is the foyer of the contiguous auditorium, which is visible through a large separating window.

Mozzanica & Mozzanica Headquarters - Maurizio Montagna, courtesy Alessandro Villa studio A lato dell’auditorium si trova un container rosso attrezzato con dispositivi di spegnimento incendi. Grazie alle vetrate apribili può essere spostato all’interno della sala per l’esecuzione di test e dimostrazioni.

The architects wanted to prioritize light in the composition of the environments, and it floods the spaces, reaching the innermost portions of the building, thanks to the use of windows and moveable walls.

The colors and materials pay homage to the industrial vocation of the architecture: a palette modulated on a range of grays envelops the space, contrasted by red accents in the furnishings and some of the glass partitions. Elements such as the perforated metal staircase at the entrance, the smooth cement pavement, and the large ceramic slab claddings, give the space a solemnity that matches the esthetics and functionality and gives the idea of a large indoor plaza.

Mozzanica & Mozzanica Headquarters - Maurizio Montagna, courtesy Alessandro Villa studio La gamma di grigi delle superfici architettoniche è ravvivata da elementi puntuali in rosso acceso, come le sedute, la grafica ambientale e del wayfinding.

The choice of ceramics for the cladding of large surfaces is closely linked to the project’s objective of sustainability: the durability and resistance of the material and the need to minimize maintenance interventions balance the carbon footprint from the production of the slabs. Even the design of the facilities aims to reduce consumption and conserve energy. The building – which won the La Ceramica e il Progetto award in 2021 – is equipped with a centralized building automation plant that can independently manage the cooling and heating in each room.

Mozzanica & Mozzanica Headquarters - Maurizio Montagna, courtesy of Alessandro Villa studio | The perforated metal staircase is one of the focal points of the lobby, the space towards which all the ground floor spaces converge.

Mozzanica & Mozzanica Headquarters - Maurizio Montagna, courtesy of Alessandro Villa studio | For the interiors, materials modulated on a palette of grays were selected to recall the industrial vocation of the building. Among these, the smooth cement pavement and the metal staircase stand out.

Mozzanica & Mozzanica Headquarters - Maurizio Montagna, courtesy of Alessandro Villa studio | Slabs from Marazzi’s Grande Stone Look Ceppo di Gré collection were selected for the cladding of the entrance, the auditorium, and the double-height atrium. This finish restores the magnificence of Ceppo di Gré, an Italian stone characterized by the presence of large pebbles, with absolute fidelity and in the thickness of only 6 mm. Selected in the Grey color and in the maxi format 160x320 cm for this project, Ceppo di Gré stone-look slabs are available in various formats.

Mozzanica & Mozzanica Headquarters - Maurizio Montagna, courtesy of Alessandro Villa studio | On the side of the auditorium is a red container equipped with fire extinguishers. Thanks to the openable windows, it can be moved within the room for tests and demonstrations.

Mozzanica & Mozzanica Headquarters - Maurizio Montagna, courtesy of Alessandro Villa studio | The extensive use of large ceramic slabs is tied to the project’s objective of sustainability. The large double-height atrium also serves as a foyer to the contiguous auditorium, from which it is separated by a floor-to-ceiling glass window that maintains visual continuity between the spaces.

Mozzanica & Mozzanica Headquarters - Maurizio Montagna, courtesy of Alessandro Villa studio | Resstende sunshades were selected to guarantee highest possible comfort for all company employees. This choice was made in the conceptual phase of the design process, which allowed for the in-detail study of not just the layout of the workstations but also specialized spaces like the auditorium and the client reception area. The wide range of colors, finishings and fabrics led to a visual uniformity among the windows of different sizes, culminating in both an esthetic and functional result of ex

Mozzanica & Mozzanica Headquarters - Maurizio Montagna, courtesy of Alessandro Villa studio

Mozzanica & Mozzanica Headquarters - Maurizio Montagna, courtesy of Alessandro Villa studio | The ground-floor rooms, dedicated to the public, were designed as fluid spaces in communication with one another: to this end, they were equipped with glass windows and moveable walls, that can be reconfigured as needed.

Mozzanica & Mozzanica Headquarters - Maurizio Montagna, courtesy of Alessandro Villa studio | The range of grays of the architectural surfaces is enlivened by bright red elements, like the seating, and the wayfinding and room graphics.

Mozzanica & Mozzanica Headquarters - Maurizio Montagna, courtesy of Alessandro Villa studio | Light floods even the most interior portions of the building thanks to the extensive use of glass windows and transparent surfaces.

Location: Osnago, (Lecco), Italy
Client: Mozzanica & Mozzanica
Completion: 2021 Gross Floor Area: 1,500 m²
Architect and Interior Designer: Alessandro Villa studio

Consultants
Structures and Construction Project Manager: Lorenzo Mazzoleni
Lighting: Sacchi Studio Luce
Electrical: PC Project
Plant Equipment: Studio tecnico associato Salvioni & Mauri

Photography: Maurizio Montagna, courtesy of Alessandro Villa studio

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