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This Milan Apartment Was Reimagined as a Versatile Urban Landscape

ByMyProperty Life

Our homes are changing fast all the while being asked to accommodate more and more functions. The same space used during the day as an office or playroom can moonlight as a lounge or sleeping chamber. When tasked with the transformation of a classic Milan apartment—traditionally fragmented into many smaller rooms—local architecture practice Atelierzero took a bold approach.

A modern living room with a red sofa, a vase with purple flowers, built-in shelves, and wood flooring, viewed through a doorway.

A modern living room with a red accent wall, sofa, a maroon chair, two framed artworks on the floor, decorative vases, and a glass table with a cup and magazine.

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The maverick, locally based firm removed most non-load-bearing walls and methodically introduced a series of almost furniture-like inserts that divide the now main unit and adjoining studio home, but also allow for smooth, near-seamless transitions when needed. There are no doors, at least in the conventional sense.

Minimalist dining area with a wooden table, two stools, two pendant lights, a painting on a blue bench, and coral-colored cabinetry. Large windows provide natural light.

A table with an open book and a turquoise cup and saucer in a room with orange walls and leather chairs; green leaves are partially visible in the foreground.

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Distinct yet complementary color blocking renders the pared-back, geometrically architectonic volumes as standalone elements, brought together almost like a miniaturized city skyline: buildings of various proportions placed side by side.

A modern bathroom with coral walls, a navy blue vanity, a white vessel sink, a wall-mounted faucet, white tiled shower, and a round bulb wall light.

A modern hallway with reddish-brown walls and ceiling, light geometric-patterned tile floor, and built-in storage leading to a closed white door at the end.

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Inspired by the colonnaded porticos found throughout the northern Italian metropolis—and the commercial streets below—the main corridor, clad in a warm orange, serves as the apartment’s primary axis. Its almost Carlo Scarpa-like terrazzo floor is an emphatic “if-you-know-you-know” nod to context. On one side, rectilinear cutaways lead into the apartment’s main entertainment space. On the other, cabinet-embedded hatches open up to a powder room, utility space, en suite bedroom, and the semi-separate studio.

A modern interior with red-orange walls, a beige kitchen area with a sink, wood flooring, and patterned tile flooring in the hallway.

Modern kitchen with peach-toned cabinets, marble countertop and backsplash, built-in sink, stove, and a vase of green flowers on the counter.

Holding pride of place in the “main hearth” great room of the apartment, the taupe-toned kitchen module appears to float on its own. It also strategically shields the more intimate study and dining area toward its rear.

Modern kitchen area with beige cabinets, a round metallic pendant lamp, a glass vase of green flowers, and a small red bowl on a marble countertop.

A modern interior with terracotta walls, a glossy table with an open magazine and a turquoise cup, and a view into a kitchen with geometric decor.

Furnishings sourced from decidedly Milanese but globally recognized design brands B&B Italia, CC-Tapis, Oluce, and Flos intermix with iconic re-editions from equally emblematic producers Artek, Marset, and Thonet.

A view through a partially open orange door reveals a modern bathroom with geometric mirror, dark walls, and a blue vanity.

A modern bedroom with a bed against a navy geometric accent wall, striped bedding, and orange-red walls and decor accents. Light wood floor.

This shrewd, sparingly introduced curation ties everything together and softens what would otherwise be a starkly crystalline interior. The visual and visceral composition is intriguing. The adjacent studio reflects the same cohesive strategy, ensuring both spaces present as a unified, if physically detached, whole.

A bedroom with a pink bed, patterned headboard, small round side table, window with black trim, and a ceiling featuring a bold geometric pattern.

A minimalist home office with a wooden folding wall desk, a pair of eyeglasses, papers on the desk, and a cane-back chair on a light wood floor.

To see more work by the bold firm, visit atelierzero.it.

Photography by Specchi Studio.

Adrian Madlener is a Brussels-born, New York-based writer specializing in collectible and sustainable design. With a particular focus on topics that exemplify the best in craft-led experimentation, he’s committed to supporting talents that push the envelope in various disciplines.

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