Torre Aria Private House
Torre Aria is a 17-story building, a modern residential complex containing 42 luxury apartments. Constructed in 2010-13, the building takes its place as an integral part of the new Milan skyline.
This is the setting for the latest interior design project by Dainelli Studio (together with the firm NCB ARCHITETTURA for the architectural layout): an apartment of 300 sqm with a breathtaking view of the city.
The project has been created for an entrepreneur from Puglia and his family, a great lover of art and design with whom Dainelli Studio has worked in close collaboration. It all began, in fact, due to the friendship between the owner and Leonardo and Marzia Dainelli, adding a more personal aspect to the project as a whole.
The concept, a sophisticated contemporary narrative, links back to the Mid-Century style and the evolution of the city of Milan: new, fast-paced, and cosmopolitan, but with deep ties to its heritage at the same time.
The entrepreneur wanted to convey a sense of the passage from Puglia to the Lombard capital, also expressed in the style selected for his homes. From the roots and the classical tradition – also found in his other residences, including a rural complex near Nardò, restored in a conservative perspective – to the modernity of a metropolitan tower.
The choice of Porta Nuova, a symbol of Milan’s focus on the future, is necessarily reflected in the interior design. The apartment stands out for its modern casements and large windows that allow the neighbouring works of architecture to enter, almost as if they were part of the décor. The high-tech vistas and surrounding view are then tempered by the intimacy of the drapes and the objects, selected as a tribute to the history of the city.
“What we have attempted to create pays homage to the modernity and history of Milan, which has always stood out in the world as an avant-garde location for the world of design. We wanted to make pieces from a not-so-distant past coexist with products created in recent years, conceived for contemporary contexts and the lifestyles of our time.” - Dainelli Studio
Beyond the choice of the building, in the project by Dainelli Studio, everything reflects a hyper-contemporary lifestyle, on the one hand, but also the pathway that has led to its formation: the selection of works of art, colours, furnishings, finishes and materials.
The interior design
The entrance is placed midway on a long corridor, pragmatically dividing the apartment into two zones: daytime and night. Panelling and storage cabinets alternate with fumé mirrors, creating a softer atmosphere in relation to the rest of the house, pleasantly flooded with natural light. The flooring is primarily in wide dark planks of tobacco-stained oak, while the vertical surfaces feature panelling and custom cabinets in black-stained oak. The choice of wood with a modern character is balanced by the walls in Marmorino, which add a more classic touch to the spaces.
The entrance foreshadows the owner’s great passion for art, seen in the panorama of works by artists of the 20th century and the present position in the various rooms. A painting by Fabio Giampietro depicting the Torre Velasca – a reminder of the modernity of the city’s recent past, in relation to the landscape of Porta Nuova surrounding the house – takes its place alongside a collection that includes works by Fontana, Bonalumi and Boetti, and the subtle irony of Edward Spitz with his pieces featuring cartoon characters. The search for artworks has taken the owner and the studio through un tour of galleries in Milan, including Galleria Miniaci, Galleria Tonelli and Galleria Lattuada.
The southeastern portion, set aside for the living area, opens immediately with large windows that capture light, facing the ample balconies that surround the apartment.
The living zone communicates with the dining room in a seamless arrangement, separated from the studio space by smoked glass partitions. The furnishings mix icons and renowned brands – the Ardea chair by Zanotta, the Soft Dream sofa by Flexform, a bookcase from B&B Italia, a side table and dining table by Flexform, the Capitol Complex chairs by Cassina, a chandelier by Penta, the Luminator floor lamp and Snoopy table lamp, both by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos, carpets from Golran and Nobilis, the Luxor table by Cappellini in the studio, and a chair by Herman Miller – together with custom pieces – furniture in glossy lacquered teak, grosgrain panelling in the dining room – as well as rare historic objects no longer in production – like the chairs in the dining room by Gio Ponti (six collector’s items created by the great master for a ship and found in a gallery in Milan), tables by Fontana Arte, a stand by Ettore Sottsass, table lamps by Cini Boeri for Artemide, and a floor lamp by Reggiani.
From the dining room, one reaches the kitchen, featuring a composition by Arclinea with essential lines, finished in steel and dove grey, with a pewter top.
On the opposite side of the corridor – brightened by the La Plus Belle mirror by Philippe Starck for Flos – the night zone is composed of three bedrooms, three bathrooms and two walk-in closets.
Panelling creates a cosy, elegant atmosphere in the master bedroom. Here too the project mixes new objects, modern vintage and custom creations: the bed by Meridiani and the bedside unit by Cassina are joined by a chair from B&B Italia, no longer in production, as well as a modern vintage bedside table and custom pieces like the lamp, the ottoman, the chest of drawers and the wardrobe.
The bedroom is connected to a majestic en suite bathroom, entirely clad in precious Repen Trentino marble, including the tub and the monoblock washstand, with windows offering views of the new skyscrapers of Milan.
In line with the grand proportions of the space, the furnishings create a space halfway between a bathroom and a living area: the LC4 chaise longue by Le Corbusier and a coffee table, both by Cassina, are joined by cabinets and a mirror by Antonio Lupi, and lamps by Louis Poulsen.
The daughter’s bedroom features petroleum woven-effect wallpaper. On the Meridiani bed, the sheets are by Ivano Redaelli, like the textiles throughout the house. Here again, new items are joined by custom creations – the wardrobes, in this case – and by a modern vintage chair.
The same concept applies to the guestroom, with a bed and bedside table by Meridiani, a Louis Poulsen floor lamp, custom pieces and a modern vintage ceiling lamp.
The night zone also contains a second large closet with products by Poliform, framing a custom ottoman and featuring a family portrait by Maurizio Galimberti. Again in this room, the mixture of tradition, modernity and personal tastes leads to indubitably impeccable results.
Torre Aria is a 17-story building, a modern residential complex containing 42 luxury apartments. Constructed in 2010-13, the building takes its place as an integral part of the new Milan skyline.
This is the setting for the latest interior design project by Dainelli Studio (together with the firm NCB ARCHITETTURA for the architectural layout): an apartment of 300 sqm with a breathtaking view of the city.
The project has been created for an entrepreneur from Puglia and his family, a great lover of art and design with whom Dainelli Studio has worked in close collaboration. It all began, in fact, due to the friendship between the owner and Leonardo and Marzia Dainelli, adding a more personal aspect to the project as a whole.
The concept, a sophisticated contemporary narrative, links back to the Mid-Century style and the evolution of the city of Milan: new, fast-paced, and cosmopolitan, but with deep ties to its heritage at the same time.
The entrepreneur wanted to convey a sense of the passage from Puglia to the Lombard capital, also expressed in the style selected for his homes. From the roots and the classical tradition – also found in his other residences, including a rural complex near Nardò, restored in a conservative perspective – to the modernity of a metropolitan tower.
The choice of Porta Nuova, a symbol of Milan’s focus on the future, is necessarily reflected in the interior design. The apartment stands out for its modern casements and large windows that allow the neighbouring works of architecture to enter, almost as if they were part of the décor. The high-tech vistas and surrounding view are then tempered by the intimacy of the drapes and the objects, selected as a tribute to the history of the city.
“What we have attempted to create pays homage to the modernity and history of Milan, which has always stood out in the world as an avant-garde location for the world of design. We wanted to make pieces from a not-so-distant past coexist with products created in recent years, conceived for contemporary contexts and the lifestyles of our time.” - Dainelli Studio
Beyond the choice of the building, in the project by Dainelli Studio, everything reflects a hyper-contemporary lifestyle, on the one hand, but also the pathway that has led to its formation: the selection of works of art, colours, furnishings, finishes and materials.
The interior design
The entrance is placed midway on a long corridor, pragmatically dividing the apartment into two zones: daytime and night. Panelling and storage cabinets alternate with fumé mirrors, creating a softer atmosphere in relation to the rest of the house, pleasantly flooded with natural light. The flooring is primarily in wide dark planks of tobacco-stained oak, while the vertical surfaces feature panelling and custom cabinets in black-stained oak. The choice of wood with a modern character is balanced by the walls in Marmorino, which add a more classic touch to the spaces.
The entrance foreshadows the owner’s great passion for art, seen in the panorama of works by artists of the 20th century and the present position in the various rooms. A painting by Fabio Giampietro depicting the Torre Velasca – a reminder of the modernity of the city’s recent past, in relation to the landscape of Porta Nuova surrounding the house – takes its place alongside a collection that includes works by Fontana, Bonalumi and Boetti, and the subtle irony of Edward Spitz with his pieces featuring cartoon characters. The search for artworks has taken the owner and the studio through un tour of galleries in Milan, including Galleria Miniaci, Galleria Tonelli and Galleria Lattuada.
The southeastern portion, set aside for the living area, opens immediately with large windows that capture light, facing the ample balconies that surround the apartment.
The living zone communicates with the dining room in a seamless arrangement, separated from the studio space by smoked glass partitions. The furnishings mix icons and renowned brands – the Ardea chair by Zanotta, the Soft Dream sofa by Flexform, a bookcase from B&B Italia, a side table and dining table by Flexform, the Capitol Complex chairs by Cassina, a chandelier by Penta, the Luminator floor lamp and Snoopy table lamp, both by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos, carpets from Golran and Nobilis, the Luxor table by Cappellini in the studio, and a chair by Herman Miller – together with custom pieces – furniture in glossy lacquered teak, grosgrain panelling in the dining room – as well as rare historic objects no longer in production – like the chairs in the dining room by Gio Ponti (six collector’s items created by the great master for a ship and found in a gallery in Milan), tables by Fontana Arte, a stand by Ettore Sottsass, table lamps by Cini Boeri for Artemide, and a floor lamp by Reggiani.
From the dining room, one reaches the kitchen, featuring a composition by Arclinea with essential lines, finished in steel and dove grey, with a pewter top.
On the opposite side of the corridor – brightened by the La Plus Belle mirror by Philippe Starck for Flos – the night zone is composed of three bedrooms, three bathrooms and two walk-in closets.
Panelling creates a cosy, elegant atmosphere in the master bedroom. Here too the project mixes new objects, modern vintage and custom creations: the bed by Meridiani and the bedside unit by Cassina are joined by a chair from B&B Italia, no longer in production, as well as a modern vintage bedside table and custom pieces like the lamp, the ottoman, the chest of drawers and the wardrobe.
The bedroom is connected to a majestic en suite bathroom, entirely clad in precious Repen Trentino marble, including the tub and the monoblock washstand, with windows offering views of the new skyscrapers of Milan.
In line with the grand proportions of the space, the furnishings create a space halfway between a bathroom and a living area: the LC4 chaise longue by Le Corbusier and a coffee table, both by Cassina, are joined by cabinets and a mirror by Antonio Lupi, and lamps by Louis Poulsen.
The daughter’s bedroom features petroleum woven-effect wallpaper. On the Meridiani bed, the sheets are by Ivano Redaelli, like the textiles throughout the house. Here again, new items are joined by custom creations – the wardrobes, in this case – and by a modern vintage chair.
The same concept applies to the guestroom, with a bed and bedside table by Meridiani, a Louis Poulsen floor lamp, custom pieces and a modern vintage ceiling lamp.
The night zone also contains a second large closet with products by Poliform, framing a custom ottoman and featuring a family portrait by Maurizio Galimberti. Again in this room, the mixture of tradition, modernity and personal tastes leads to indubitably impeccable results.