“Michael Collins, intrepid astronaut of the Apollo 11 mission, was born in this house on October 31, 1930. First man on the Moon”. This phrase, engraved on a plaque placed on the facade of an elegant Roman building, at number 16 of via Tiber, represents a tribute from the eternal city to the value and resourcefulness of a man who, thanks to the legendary moon landing of 1969 (the famous “small step for a man but a great leap for humanity”) projected the entire world population in the future. Yet, ironically, the renovation project of thehome in Rome which gave birth to the famous astronaut takes us on a journey back into the past. Edited by MAS Architecturethe interior design concept started from the assumption of the apartment as a historical place, to be reinterpreted through the insertion of modern and functional innovations, studied in detail to dialogue harmoniously with the stylistic and material heritage of the twentieth century.
The intervention focused on preservation of the original fine finishes: the marble portals, the decorated grit floors and the Italian herringbone parquet have been the subject of a thoughtful restoration that has made them not only the undisputed protagonists of the interiors but also promoters of a linguistic code that has crept into the folds of the design custom made furnishings, specifically designed to conform to the configuration of the spaces and the needs of the clients. The new pieces propose the expressive character of the existing decorative elements in a contemporary key. Conceived as chapters of a fluid narrative structure that tells and defines the new identity of the homeshould be read as cultured references to the boiserie, brass details and original decorations.
Observed in this light, the iconic pieces by MAS Design make even more sense. They are included in the project as a direct reflection of the very personal creative attitude of Maria Adele Savioli, who, playing with scalar relationships and geometric lines, managed to convert volumes and shapes of mini-architectures into real furnishing elements for everyday use . We are referring to the stereometric Paolo sideboard, characterized by a painted sheet metal body and brass finishes, and the Marta wardrobe, defined by sliding doors covered with wallpaper. The kitchen furnishings (opening photo), custom-designed to match the curvilinear motif of the walls, present a dynamic volumetric articulation, characterized by two heights: the operational area, defined by low modules and a large work surface, integrates with the “L” configuration generated by the joint of the vertical container with the compact horizontal band of the wall units.
Characterized by Calacatta Oro marble surfaces that recall the brass details “scattered” throughout the home, the environment is designed to harmonize with the unitary style of the house, also pursued through the studied color palette. Ocher undoubtedly represents one of the dominant nuances, and this is also demonstrated by the warm component of yellow onyx, used to create the washbasins in the bathroom area. All to recall, as in a circular story, the style and elegance of the elegant home which, just under a hundred years ago, was the birthplace of a great protagonist of the modern era.
www.mariaadelesavioli.it
Roman architect animated by an innate cosmopolitan vocation and an unbridled curiosity, he considers design his personal magnifying glass to interpret the flow of social and cultural changes crossing the new millennium. He alternates his love for planning with his passion for storytelling, in the belief that the word can help unravel the intricate dynamics of the creative process. Always interested in interior design and the connections between communication and architecture, he deals with the relationships between space and image, working on the intersection between fashion, food, art and interiors.
