The idea of the project was to convert a listed building, a former mansion from the Elizabethan period, mid-19th century into the headquarters of an important advertising agency.

 

The project was to achieve a symbiosis between the old character of the building and the modern functionality of an advertising agency, creating at the same time an exceptional air of its own for the agency's image.

Spaces have been formalized for the different work areas (reception, administration, creative team, web design, meeting room, directors' offices...), but not abruptly separated from each other: the spaces are fluid, they have movement and the interchange between them is manifested through curved translucent partitions and the continuity of the ceilings, walls and lighting.

We wanted to create a certain living tension between the character of the existing building and the new occupation.

 

Entering through the old carriage passage, we pass through sliding glass doors into a brightly lit space with a certain modern design, which speaks of its former life through its materials, old granite slabs, the mouldings on the ceilings and walls, the old separation to the staircase in wood and acid-decorated glass, which, restored, now separates the unique reception counter in curved, naturally varnished steel from one of the meeting rooms. 

The imperial staircase leading to the main floor has been preserved in all its grandeur, carefully restored only where necessary.

Leaning on the landing, a large mirror visually connects the ground floor with the upper floor.

On the way up, the visitor is struck by the changing images offered by the light structure at the threshold of the first floor (a structural function) and the metal deployé panels of the false ceiling.

While the area on the San Lorenzo street façade contains the more "conventional" spaces, where the administrative part of the agency is located, the space around the courtyard of the building is more modern, and the creative part of the agency is located around it.

 

We follow the path marked by the blue "LEDs" on the floor and they direct towards a "creature", whose traces we had already discovered on the ground floor: the "alien", which occupies the space around one of the agency's small courtyards. This large "piece of "furniture", painted in a strong orange tone, is made with a double skin of metal plates curved in two directions, carrying the necessary insulation inside. 

In its "belly" are the toilets - with ventilation and direct light thanks to the courtyard - cupboards and even a bar in the office of one of the agency's directors, which sticks out like a tongue and integrates a small bar to offer special customer service.

Thus, the "alien" touches, bites the offices of two of the directors and has in front of him a "baby" of his own in magenta, which houses the agency's installations and server.

Next, the blue "LEDs" lead us to the creative area, which is slightly elevated and consists of a common workspace overlooking the large courtyard between the offices of two directors and separations with sheet metal partitions between the work teams.

 

At the end of the pathway, the library receives different treatment from the rest. The old atmosphere has been preserved, maintaining the old ceramic tiles existing in this sector, and the furniture and lighting used in this space give it a "kitsch" look.

 

To unify the entire floor, continuity is given to the floors, walls and false ceiling, the former in concrete with a magnetite finish, the latter plastered over the existing walls, both in light and neutral tones and the latter modulated employing galvanized, deployed sheets with ordered downlighting.