A new dress designed to last over time

 

The renovation of residential buildings that spread through cities in the second half of the twentieth century is now a highly topical issue:
in addition to the maintenance required by the passage of time, these buildings need energy efficiency upgrades to meet the new requirements of sustainable living. Especially in the last years, thanks to the public incentive system, work on the building envelope has
become the order of the day.

The redevelopment of the building in Via dei Gracchi, Milan, is an interesting example: the entire construction has been given a “new skin” thanks to the application of insulating material to the entire shell, including the facades and roof. The objective of improving energy performance was achieved through the use of a ventilated façade system clad with ceramics from the Cerdisa brand EC1 line. The variety of colours and surfaces, together with a “running” installation system that manages to adapt perfectly to the existing openings, allows the building to present a new contemporary image, while maintaining a sober appearance.

The envelope thus becomes a new dress designed to last over time. The design firm, Engineering System, chose to use ceramic material because it offers many aesthetic possibilitiesin terms of surfaces and colours . Three different types of ceramics were used in the project: one smooth and dark (brand: Cerdisa; line: EC1; colour: City), combined with another light-coloured one (brand: Cerdisa; line: EC1; colour: Farrington) in two surfaces, natural and structured.

The combination of the same colour, but on different surfaces, varies the effect of reflection and light, which is different from one area to another. In fact, the three materials have been used in different parts of the façade, enriching its appearance. In addition, porcelain stoneware is a very suitable material for such interventions because it is extremely durable