La Rinascente Department Store Refurbishment / 2050+

Text description provided by the architects. In line with the intentions of the two architects, the project by 2050+ stems from the convictions that modernity is timeless – it does not rest on style or image, but on materials and function. Being modern is about embodying and transforming, rather than simulating an attitude. These stances translated into a series of targeted interventions that took on the legacy of the original project, while developing a dynamic relationship with the past, aiming to strike a balance between restoration and transformation.

The opening of the sixth floor marks the end of the restoration of the façade and the completion of the new architectural project that strives to re-establish the building as an open space for citizens and visitors alike, in line with the modern spirit of Albini and Helg.

The interventions are grounded on tactical rather than formal considerations. They include the strategic replacement of specific building components with the aim to revive both technical and spatial solutions that were once part of the original project, while also adapting La Rinascente in Piazza Fiume to the requirements of a contemporary department store.

The newly built panoramic elevator, which replicates the form of the stairwell as designed in the 1957 version of the project, is treated as a technical insert inside the structural partition of the façade along the courtyard: it flanks the existing egress stairs, improving internal flows while providing direct access to the restaurant on the sixth floor, directly from the courtyard, also outside opening hours. All the shop windows alongside Piazza Fiume and via Salaria have been replaced, restoring original geometries and proportions.

The transparency of the courtyard glass surfaces has also been restored, revealing once again the escalators and rehabilitating their scenographic function. The portion of the roof facing the Aurelian Walls is transformed through the introduction of a glass surface that offers visitors an unprecedented view of the city from the restaurant on the sixth floor.

Here the interiors are an integral component of Albini and Helg’s architecture, with lights, modular displays, surfaces and an ashlar wall enhancing the features of the original project. The ceiling is set on a graphic partition that introduces a triangular motif into the rhythm of the beams and diffuses light. Following the structure, a modular display reorganizes the course of the floor. Finally, the reopening of the terrace provides the sixth floor with an outlet onto the courtyard.

The view from the top floor over Rome and the Aurelian Walls is the final destination of a path that from Piazza Fiume, cutting through the building, projects visitors straight into the city.