Facades Of Milan

Bocconi University (2008)

Location: via Roentgen, viale Bligny
Architects: Grafton architects,
                 Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara (directors),
                 Gerard Carty, Philippe O’Sullivan, 
                 Simona Castelli (project architecs) 
Facade material: Ceppo di Gré

The idea was to create a “rocky shield”, constructed with robust material such as Ceppo di Gré stone.
Extract since ancient time from Marini Marmi quarries on Iseo lake, ceppo di Gré is a grey stone and one of the most historic of Milan.
I choose this building to start my collection not because Ceppo di Gré is an innovative material, but because the choise of material is meaningfull and has a specific role linking the past and the new.

Shelly McNamara talking about the choise of this stone:
“We wanted a university that talked with the city even in its outward appearance”