This project seeks to honour and enhance the 500-year history of Collegio Borromeo through a sensitive contemporary intervention. The design engages in dialogue with the Roman Mannerist architecture, complementing its form and materiality while embracing principles of sustainability, nature, and culture
Timber, rammed earth, and steel are employed to create versatile, functional spaces that resonate with the historic beauty of Collegio Borromeo and itsevolving legacy. A lightweight “furnitecture” approach introduces comfortable workspaces and a bookshop within the preserved architectural framework, emphasising harmony between the old and the new.
Two additional structures extend the existing fabric, showcasing refined craftsmanship and providing spaces for exhibitions, events, and interaction with nature. Rammed earth and timber imbue the interiors with a biophilic quality, while the steel garden structure, left exposed to rust and patinate over time, forms a trellis for climbing plants, merging architecture with the landscape. Together, the interventions work in symbiosis with the historic architecture, reflecting a dialogue between past, present, and future.
