A great totem made up of modular elements enhances the technical and aesthetic characteristics of an innovative material

COURTYARD OF HONOUR, UNIVERSITY OF MILAN - A great totem, consisting of overlapping modular elements, enhances the technical and aesthetic qualities of an innovative material. A fusion of tradition and modernity, creativity and environmental responsibility

Evoking a sense of movement is the great totem El Paron, an installation by the architect and designer Patricia Urquiola that dominates the Courtyard of Honour to represent the intersection of nature and technology, artifice and the environment.

El Paron – a Venetian dialect term meaning “the master”, traditionally used to refer to the bell tower of a church, a tall structure dominating the landscape – is a monumental sculpture consisting of four overlapping modular elements.

These consist of a metal grid sprayed with Cimento®, a cementitious product for architecture and the contract, retail and hotel sectors.

Derived from natural components, this product, patented and completely made in Italy, uses over 90% mineral aggregates mixed with a cementitious binder and is applied as a coating for interiors, floors, external facades, furnishings and design objects.

The choice of this technique of application gives the high tower a material and dynamic appearance, creating a glimmering visual effect.

The sculpture takes shape from the composition of four overlapping cubes that rise to a height of 10 meters. The ‘see-through’ effect is obtained by applying a spray coating of Cimento®, a cementitious product, which gives the grid a material and constantly evolving appearance.