The discovery of an old fresco inspired the colours and themes for this distinctive reworked apartment. By Alice Ida
ometimes it only takes a hint to change the fate of a project. For Andres Eduardo Avanzi, a young architect from Chile, it was a glimpse of a faded, dusty colour that emerged from beneath a thick layer of paint and plaster.
This house reflects both our worlds: mine is that of Cassina’s coffee tables, Martina’s that of the pink velvet sofa The renovation of the apartment lasted six months but every design decision had to be approved by a city commission for the superintendence of fine arts, under which the entire building is protected.The renovation respects the original building, the only structural intervention being the removal of the corridor that once divided the living room from the kitchen. With this change, the living area is twice as big as it was, adding to a sense of space: the ceilings are more than 3m high.