When Classical Becomes Pop

Contemporary artworks, reclaimed wood furniture, and reproductions in resin of ancient statues in bright colors, the spaces of the Rome office of LCA Studio Legale propose a pop and green version of classical sculpture, reflecting the young and dynamic identity of the Studio. Designed by Gesidi Engineering Architecture and located in Piazza del Popolo, this office is the latest to be opened by the law firm, which has its headquarters in Milan and branches in Genoa, Treviso, Brussels, and Dubai. The offices in the Italian capital are located within Palazzo Valadier, the twin building of the Basilica of Santa Maria in Montesanto, which houses the so-called Chiesa degli Artisti.

Gesidi Engineering Architecture’s project focused on the interior design of the common areas, which include the lobby, two distribution corridors, four meeting rooms, and the break area. There are protection restrictions on the building, affecting both the exterior and interior. However, while the façades still maintain their original appearance, the interiors have been remodeled over time – prior to the renovation commissioned by LCA, they did not reflect the importance and beauty of the building. The offices occupy approximately 800 sq. m of space on the third and penultimate floor of the building, and the rooms overlook both Piazza del Popolo and the Pincio hill, with balconies facing the Hotel de Russie at the end of Via del Babuino. These unique views inspired the twofold idea behind the project: dialogue with the surrounding historical context and, at the same time, somehow desecrate it.

The spaces are populated with paintings and sculptures including heads of various colors, resin reproductions of the original statues scanned in three dimensions created by Artificial and approved by the Italian Ministry of Culture. The artworks, chosen and placed by the designer together with the client, come from two Roman galleries, namely SUarte and Studio Sales, and can be substituted over time, transforming the office into a true exhibition space. In the lobby, the head of Antonia Minor is colored with the shade of orange that distinguishes the LCA brand. The base on which the statue rests was made by recovering the worktops upon which marble is cut, as was the table of the main meeting room, which faces the Pincio hill. Beech wood was used for the edges and base of the table – the same as the existing bookcases, which were disassembled and reconfigured. In addition to the Pincio room, there are three other meeting rooms, respectively called Valadier, Bernini, and Borromini, which all overlook Piazza del Popolo. The rectangular table in the center of the Valadier room, the windows of which feature a view of the dome of the Chiesa degli Artisti, is made of Bardiglio Carrara marble.

The interior doors, preserved as valuable elements, have undergone a simple face lift, with the insertion of new brass handles, a material which was also chosen for the kitchen and bathroom faucets. All the rooms are unified by the same continuous flooring in a gray hue, which echoes the colors of the doors and the
custom-made furniture elements that hide the fan coils. This cold floor is contrasted by a warm ceiling, handcrafted from alternating solid wood slats and light bars. Two exceptions are the relaxation area in the lobby and the refreshment area, which are illuminated by suspension lamps composed of a circular bar. Partially hidden by a wall of vertical wooden slats and equipped with a small kitchen, the refreshment area is a space where colleagues can grab a coffee or eat lunch together: this space quickly became the heart of the office and the center of its daily life.

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LCA Studio Legale Offices - ©Gian Luigi Fornari Lanzetti, courtesy of Gesidi Engineering Architecture

The offices of LCA Studio Legale in Rome’s Piazza del Popolo are sprinkled with contemporary artworks, an area to which a division of the business is dedicated.

LCA Studio Legale Offices - ©Gian Luigi Fornari Lanzetti, courtesy of Gesidi Engineering Architecture

The large table of the Pincio room was realized using wood salvaged from countertops on which marble is cut, reflecting the environmental conscience of the firm.

LCA Studio Legale Offices - ©Gian Luigi Fornari Lanzetti, courtesy of Gesidi Engineering Architecture

In contrast to what often happens in law firms, LCA Studio Legale’s Rome office was imagined as an open space that still reflects the absolute confidentiality required of these workspaces.

LCA Studio Legale Offices - ©Gian Luigi Fornari Lanzetti, courtesy of Gesidi Engineering Architecture

LCA Studio Legale Offices - ©Gian Luigi Fornari Lanzetti, courtesy of Gesidi Engineering Architecture

LCA Studio Legale Offices - ©Gian Luigi Fornari Lanzetti, courtesy of Gesidi Engineering Architecture

Like Fine Quarried Marble Fiandre Architectural Surfaces’ Arabescato Orobico, with a polished finish, was chosen to clad the reception counter in the office lobby. Belonging to the Marmi Maximum collection, this ceramic surface features shades of white combined with different cadences of gray and brown, with more thinned ocher shades. Highly durable and only 6-mm thick, the slabs in the Marmi Maximum line use at least 40% recycled material.

LCA Studio Legale Offices - ©Gian Luigi Fornari Lanzetti, courtesy of Gesidi Engineering Architecture

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