Winner of a preliminary design competition promoted by Generali Group, involving several nationally renowned architecture firms, Vittorio Grassi Architects’ proposal distinguished itself through its ability to reinterpret the entire building while preserving its original spirit and identity.
The project’s carefully pursued objective was to return to the city a fully regenerated historic property: functional, sustainable, and aligned with the most advanced models of the contemporary workplace. The building is located within the industrial complex of the historic Stock distilleries, dating back to 1929, and is characterized by its exposed brick façades, rusticated stone base, and large steel-framed windows. A representative example of early twentieth-century industrial architecture, the building is now protected by the local Heritage Authority for its façades and original architectural components.
Within this context, Vittorio Grassi Architects placed the historical and architectural enhancement of the property at the core of the intervention, preserving the urban character of the complex. The façades were carefully restored, while the original windows were replaced with slim-profile frames consistent in both materiality and proportion with the historic ones. Internally, the exposure of the original load-bearing masonry walls and the use of finishes inspired by industrial aesthetics endowed the spaces with a strong identity, while ensuring the levels of comfort and safety required by contemporary office standards.
The spatial reconfiguration was conceived around an integrated workplace model: flexible, shared, and multifunctional spaces alternate with individual and dual workstations, responding to evolving organizational needs. In addition, a coordinated interior design and branding strategy reinforced the visual identity of the interiors, while simultaneously enhancing both the industrial heritage of the building and the institutional image of the Generali Group.
The intervention also included the functional expansion of the executive areas through the redevelopment of the internal courtyard, now transformed into a new reception and gathering space by means of a discreet yet sophisticated glass structure. Furthermore, the main entrance was relocated to the side facing the inner garden and redesigned with a dramatic double-height lobby, new elevators, and the refurbishment of the fourth floor, characterized by extensive glazed surfaces and horizontal skylights.
The roof was entirely cleared of incongruous additions and converted into a panoramic terrace dedicated to corporate events and informal social interaction. Vittorio Grassi Architects’ design sensitivity also emerged in the project’s environmental approach, enabling the building to achieve LEED Gold certification. The intervention integrated passive energy-efficiency strategies together with the installation of low-impact building systems, in line with Generali Group’s ESG policies and carbon-free objectives.
Finally, the shared condominium courtyard was completely reimagined: new permeable paving and deciduous trees transformed it into a community-oriented open space, acting as a natural extension of the building and fostering renewed urban dialogue. By restoring a renewed relational identity to the property, the regeneration project generated significant added value for the entire neighborhood, strengthening the relationship between corporate architecture and public space.
DESIGN AND INTERIOR DESIGN
Vittorio Grassi Architects Srl – Email: [email protected] – Tel: +39 02 40706397
Project team: Arch. Vittorio Grassi (CEO) with Arch. Marco Aloisini (Partner) and architects Deniz Gizem Aksu, Tanya Gupta, Valentina Colombo, Luca Dainese, Alesia Tukach, Phatnaree Panyasiri, Maria Voronkova, Aakanksha Hule, Roberto Paggi, Carolina Riva, Gabriele Borella, Giuseppe Clemente.
Structural Engineering: F&M Ingegneria S.p.A.
MEP Engineering and Fire Safety: Società di Ingegneria Masoli Messi – SIMM Srl
LEED Certification: QSC Quality Survey Controls and Deerns Italia S.p.A.
GRE Project Management: Fabio Floridan with Paolo Prestigiovanni
Permits and Construction Supervision: Mads & Associati
Branding and Signage Design: Vittorio Grassi Architects with Laura Fontanot Studio
Photography: Diego De Pol
PRIVATE CLIENT
Generali Real Estate S.p.A. – Email: [email protected] – Tel: +39 040 671111
CONTRACTORS AND SUPPLIERS
General Contractor: Sacaim S.p.A.
Furniture and Fit-Out: Sedus Stoll Srl with Cesare Roversi Arredamenti Srl
Loose Furniture: Arper S.p.A., Lapalma Srl, Pedrali S.p.A.
Branding & Signage: Milano Sign Srl
YEAR OF COMPLETION – 2025
(Construction started: 2022 – Completion: 2025)
