House #08 is a 130 sqm apartment on two levels in Milan. The project consists of small changes to the existing layout in search of long perspectives and space flexibility. 
The entrance with the presence of an exposed metal staircase connecting the two levels was the starting point of our first considerations. It gave a weird perception of entering the house through a series of stairwells.

We therefore decided to eliminate such presence by covering the metal staircase completely, thus obtaining a closet under the stairs too. Through the application of wallpaper, you now pass the entrance door straight into a hushed environment which illusively restores a complete abstraction of the space. 
All existing first level doors were removed and replaced with full height sliding and folding doors. The idea was to recreate a long perspective that starts from the entrance and reaches the dining area, a concept of flexible space emphasized by the accordion doors and inspired by some famous Gio Ponti interiors. 

The green colour paint on the walls highlights the various levels of this long perspective; sometimes interpreted as a box to delimit areas, such as dining and kitchen, and in others as simple wall paint to create layered colour sequences. Lastly, the round mirror tries to emphasize this long perspective through a dynamic game of reflections. 

This level of the apartment is then characterized by a series of custom-made furniture in canaletto walnut with vertical elements on design, which also function as handles, which emphasize the sense of verticality. All these elements, the green on the walls, the fabric of the folding doors, the canaletto walnut, the Maralunga sofa, the Chiavari chairs with velvet seat, the Lampada Rio lamps by Leucos and the re-edition of the Albini lamp on the dining table are a selection which recalls past times by creating a right mix with more contemporary objects. 

The second level, in sharp contrast to the floor below, is composed of totally different environments. The project focused on the transformation of the pass-through double bedroom by using accordion doors which, by opening totally and in several points, deform the space in various solutions, creating ever-changing paths and dynamics. We move from a totally open to a totally closed environment with multiple entrances that connect the space with the terrace, the walk-in closet or with the hallway that leads to the bathroom. 

In this project designed by Andrea Rubini, the architectural and decorative value of Dooor folding doors are demonstrated in their full potential.

For these two floors, 130sqm flat in Milan, the architect made some small changes to the existing layout, lending perspective and creating a highly flexible space. Each level reveals a different interpretation of Dooor. From the entrance on the first floor, proceeding towards the living area, one is immersed in a cozy, swathed atmosphere surrounded by green palettes. But the main impact is the long perspective created from the entrance to the dining area. Thanks to Andrea Rubini’s skill, existing doors were replaced with full-height folding doors, enabling a view of the entire living area, culminating in the round kitchen mirror, which accentuates this perspective with a dynamic play on reflections and recalls Gio Ponti’s pioneering use of accordion doors.

The Dooor systems become part of a game of sequences and flat surfaces, where the colour green also plays its part (sometimes used to divide living areas such as the dining room and kitchen). The choice of the large-weave DE CO fabric, in a dark green shade, allows the Dooor to blend perfectly, chromatically and architecturally with the surroundings.

The theme of continuity is also developed in terms of style: on the one hand the doors provide a sense of verticality; the bookcase, the custom-made furniture in walnut (where the vertical element also acts as a handle); on the other, strong references are made to the past and the history of design: the Maralunga sofa, the Chiavari chairs with velvet seat, the Buto lamps by Leucos, the re-edition of the Albini Lamp and the Dooor themselves, which retain the original 1950s allure of the door textile and the inspiration of Gio Ponti’s interiors.

Going up to the second floor, the environment is surprisingly bright and lively. Everything revolves around the large curved Dooor that, characterised by a multiple opening (bilateral and central), twists the space by creating ever-changing paths. With its almost six metres in length, the Dooor folding door frames the master bedroom and defines corridors and multiple entrances that lead to the terrace or walk-in wardrobe via the hallway, eventually leading to the bathroom. The quality of this architectural element is further highlighted by the chromatic choice of faux leather cladding, in a brick red that enhances the product and interiors (dominated by the neutral tones of the walls and cupboards).

Dooor first floor

Opening: lateral
Track: standard, visible, matt black colour
Closing: magnetic with profile, matt black colour
Handle: CB#3 matt black color
Cladding: fabric DE CO 6551, dark green color
Dimension: L 1239 mm x H 2695 mm

Dooor second floor

Opening: multiple (bilateral + central)
Track: standard, visible, curved, matt black color
Closing: magnetic with profile, matt black color
Handle: CB#3 matt black color
Cladding: eco-leather RE AT 5196, brick red color
Dimension: L 5760 mm x H 2404 mm

Interior design project: Arch. Andrea Rubini
Photo: Carola Merello