One of the finest twentieth century villas in Milan, the Casa Villa Necchi was finished in 1935, at the height of the Italian Rationalist movement. The architect Piero Portaluppi was Milan personified, a designer for whom the rapidly industrialising city provided endless opportunity.
His clients at Villa Necchi, the Campiglio family, were local industrialists eager to demonstrate their artistic patronage to the city at large. Austere, neo-classical details are combined with rich materials; the sumptuous interior is filled with art, ancient and modern, and period ambience to die for.
Later modernized by long-term Gio Ponti collaborator Tomaso Buzzi, the family gave the house to the Italian National Trust at the turn of the century. Following a six million euro restoration it has now opened its doors to the city once again. A new coffee house, named after the original family, has been designed by Piero Castellini Baldissera to complement the original structure, creating a stylish eatery with a historic pedigree.
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An architect’s own home offers a refined and leafy retreat from its East London surroundingsStudioshaw has completed a courtyard house in amongst a cluster of traditional terraced houses, harnessing the sun and plenty of greenery to bolster privacy and warmth
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Finlandia Hall bistro blends culinary indulgence with reborn modernismFinlandia Hall bistro opens in Helsinki, adding a foodie dimension to the Finnish modernist architecture marvel by Alvar Aalto
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Reimagining remembrance: Urn Studios introduces artistic urns to the UKBridging the gap between art and memory, Urn Studios offers contemporary, handcrafted funeral urns designed to be proudly displayed
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Book: ‘Design Talks: Contemporary Creatives on Architecture and Design’ by Massimo de Conti -
New York conference celebrates depth and diversity in architecture practice todayThe World Around, Beatrice Galilee's day-long conference in New York, brought together future projects, inter-discplinary discussion and issues around gender bias, through an exciting array of international participants
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The Sharjah Architecture Triennial inspects the future of urbanismThe inaugural Sharjah Architectural Triennial, curated by Adrian Lahoud, is built around the subject ‘Rights of Future Generations’ and investigates decision making and rethinking fundamental questions about architecture in the UAE region and beyond
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Beyond buildings: the expanded vision of the 2019 Chicago Architecture Biennial -
Tallinn Architecture Biennale explores why beauty mattersHow relevant is beauty to human life, health and knowledge? Asks Dr Yael Reisner, curator of the 8th Tallinn Architecture Biennale
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Indiana’s Exhibit Columbus festival promises to celebrate women in architecture -
Renzo Piano Building Workshop retrospective to open at London's Royal Academy of Arts -
Palm Springs Modernism Week 2018 previewPalm Springs Modernism Week, which runs from 15–25 February 2018, has announced its 11-day programme of mid-century modern architecture, interiors, culture, parties and plenty of opportunities to knock back a martini. Explore what this microcosm of mid-century modernism has to offer in its most exciting week of the year, below.
