Architecture as ‘surprising space’: this is the original idea behind the works of Silvia Minutolo, Marco Giai Via and Alberto Perino, young architects from Piedmont who founded, in 2008 in Turin, Archisbang (nomen omen), a design studio that ranges from objects to buildings. The common denominator is the pursuit of unconventional spatial quality, to generate a personal, never predictable habitat.
One good example is their latest creation, the conversion of an eclectic villa on the hills of Parella, near Ivrea, as the headquarters of the company Chemsafe. The project called for the complete redesign of the internal volumes to create a fluid space, a sort of ‘tower’ whose floors are staggered at different levels, no longer in a conventional configuration.
The spaces, in fact, are doubled and tripled in height, creating a kaleidoscope of glimpses and views thanks to a surprising game of staircases that reminds us of the famous etchings of Escher. Precisely the famous Dutch engraver has inspired the team from Turin in its works, to get beyond the traditional concept of relativity and to look at things from new and unexpected vantage points.
Text by Laura Ragazzola – Photo by Alessio Gioana
