Its name is “Spina-Dorsale” (Italian word meaning “backbone”) and is a solution conceived by PadiglioneB Architecture Studio for an apartment of about 90 square meters in northern Italy, in the province of Verona. It is a structure characterized by a piece of furniture that is articulated in a continuous form between the kitchen and the entrance, separating the living area from the sleeping one and becoming the central element of the house, like a sort of “backbone” which performs various functions: wardrobe, empty-pockets, seat with shoe rack and kitchen. The passage to the sleeping area takes place through a door obtained from a door of the wardrobe and perfectly integrated with the latter. «The client – explains the architect Alberto Bassi, founder of PadiglioneB together with Chiara Tenca, also an architect – wanted a renovation that reflected his own personality. We have tried to hit the target taking care to create, in addition to a project theme, also a piece of furniture that actually characterizes him. Thus Spina Dorsale was born, becoming the central element of the entire apartment, which concretely performs the “vital” functions of the building itself».
The kitchen
In the project, the kitchen environment was designed to integrate harmoniously with the space reserved for the living room. The appliances dedicated to cooking are built into the cabinet, which includes a 4 elements black glass induction hob and the combi oven, above which the built-in microwave oven is placed. With regard to the refrigerator, however, a freestanding model in stainless steel was chosen. The realization of the project, as far as the kitchen environment is concerned, did not present any critical issues at the plant level. «We didn’t encounter any particular difficulties in creating the kitchen cabinet and the relative electrical and plumbing connections – Alberto Bassi underlines -. In fact, the new floor made it possible to create suitable slopes for all the drains».
Spaces highlighted by colour The project is characterized by the combination of two colors that respectively define the internal and external spaces. «The theme of color – says Bassi – has been the subject of research. We wanted a marked contrast between the external partitions and the elements carved into the interior of the furniture, and we identified two pairs of colors to propose to the property: gray for the exterior and yellow for the interior as regards the first combination, and blue dark and lobster for the second proposal, which was then chosen by the owners. Furthermore, in our opinion, the color emerges in a marked form also thanks to the floor made of polished concrete». |
