Savona 18 Suites: renovation of a twentieth-century traditional Milanese apartment building
An experience of the atmosphere of Milan in times gone by, inside a renovated space in the heart of the Navigli, one of the city’s “coolest” districts, once an industrial area and now a magnet for the world of fashion and design: Savona 18 Suites is the new 4-star design hotel designed by Aldo Cibic for the Blu Hotels group inside a typical Milanese balcony row-house. A long-abandoned twentieth-century construction, it has been completely restored and renovated by the architect and designer from Vicenza and the Cibicworkshop, with Aria Bebeheani and Tommaso Corà, who worked to preserve its architectural image, including the courtyard typical of this building typology.
The hotel is conceived as a big house, with 43 rooms, each with a different style allowing customers to choose the space that responds to their personal needs. “The decor varies, ranging from vintage to contemporary design, explains Cibic, with paintings, colors, wood and fabrics that give each room a unique character and personality”.
Modernity and the past combine in the interior design project to create a warm mix halfway between an art gallery and a domestic living space. The reception desk at the entrance, for example, is reminiscent of Tibetan furniture, but oversize, while the yellow bench, along with the graphic design on the walls, contrasts with the neutral colours of the room, creating an effect of warm minimalism.
The lounge and the Petit Café are furnished with custom-designed carpets, chandeliers, mirrors and accessories, a variety of objects that together compose a space like pieces in a puzzle.
Even the inner courtyard, 310 square metres, has been transformed with sofas and armchairs into an open-air lounge, featuring a striking mural: the most exclusive suites overlook this courtyard. And if a guest falls in love with a design piece, he can buy it and take it home. “A sign of the growing relationship between interior design and client experience – comments Cibic –, an increasingly popular trend in the design of hospitality structures, on the edge between art galleries and experience-defining venues”.
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translation by Olga Barmine
