
2024
CASA BRERA
MILAN
We are in Piazzetta Bossi, in the Brera district, in a 1950s building designed by Pietro Lingeri, a prominent figure of Italian rationalism. Constructed between 1954 and 1958, the building has recently undergone through a significant renovation by Studio Urquiola according to its new purpose as Casa Brera, a Luxury Collection Hotel.
Studio Urquiola has executed a meticulous architectural interior design project, carefully selecting materials, finishes, colours and textiles, finding a perfect balance between spaces and creating refined compositions throughout the varied areas.
Our approach and contribution for the Lighting Design was to treat light as a primary architectural element, integrated across multiple levels, from invisible lighting incorporated into details to custom-designed decorative and eclectic lamps, adding depth and visual hierarchy to each space, enhancing the overall spatial experience.
The close collaboration with the design team was key to such finely integrated design and allowed us, with tenacity and perseverance, to deliver sophisticated and compelling illumination results. Indeed, integrating lighting concepts during the initial spatial conception phase, interpreting the architectural intention, enables light to become a real, almost tangible, architectural element, a soundtrack, an atmosphere.
Examples include the brass finishing grating louver to shield the big diffusing ceiling with dynamic white technology in the Lobby Bar. In the Sky Bar space, cherry-colored and fully glazed to create a seamless connection between interior and exterior, the luminous ceiling with dynamic white technology is covered by a layer of red fabric which saturates the hues of the space and visually heightens it, without depriving guests of the nighttime view of Milan.
To avoid annoying reflections on glazing that would compromise views, we worked to provide correct light distribution, with fixtures integrated into architectural details and with highly shielded light sources yet precise in their task to give the correct and desired amount of light where needed.
Furthermore, the work carried out for custom fixtures spans every area of the hotel and has been a way to interpret and give a precise and distinct, unmistakable connotation to specific spaces, characterizing each environment. All custom lighting fixtures were designed by Studio Urquiola and managed step by step from concept to prototypes, implementation, and installation, ensuring the lighting contribution is perfectly correct, pleasant, and non-glaring.
To complete a comprehensive approach, the design of lighting scenarios adapts to different times of day and functions, creating distinct atmospheres that support the intended use of each space while maintaining visual comfort and highlighting the architectural features.









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