Houzz Tour: How To Renovate a Home Designed By Zaha Hadid
A mirrored hallway and lots of curves pay tribute to the starchitect's style in this remodel of a Hadid-designed space
Architect Paolo Frello was handed the enviable challenge of renovating an apartment in a building designed by the legendary Zaha Hadid. The design goal was to preserve the original style without completely copying the curves and asymmetries that are characteristic of Hadid’s work. The result is a balanced interior that privileges cosiness over ostentation.
A short entryway leads to the living room, which boasts two striking elements. The first one, directly on the left, is a sequence of burnished oval mirrors that provide a deeper perspective on the space. They also conceal two doors, which lead to a walk-in closet and the kitchen, respectively.
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The second element, on the right, is a large glass wall with a curved frame designed by Hadid. Shutters cover the whole window.
The mirrored hallway has a dropped ceiling that hides heating and cooling systems. In the living room area, a dark ebony bookcase was custom-made by a carpenter based on the architect’s design. The velvet upholstery is in shades of grey and peacock blue, while a custom-made rug ties the space together. A door leads to the balcony, which surrounds part of the apartment.
The mirrored hallway has a dropped ceiling that hides heating and cooling systems. In the living room area, a dark ebony bookcase was custom-made by a carpenter based on the architect’s design. The velvet upholstery is in shades of grey and peacock blue, while a custom-made rug ties the space together. A door leads to the balcony, which surrounds part of the apartment.
In the bookcase, two rounded niches have been painted a contrasting light blue to draw attention to their contents: Two Neopolitan ceramic vases, the owners’ family heirlooms.
The bookcase is balanced on the opposite wall by the LC Casier sideboard by Le Corbusier, which is used for storing tableware and serving in the dining area. The painting over it is by Ribana Szutor.
The wall on the right of the photo features a curved opening that recalls Hadid’s style and connects the dining area to the hallway. The pillar on the left is load-bearing.
The wall on the right of the photo features a curved opening that recalls Hadid’s style and connects the dining area to the hallway. The pillar on the left is load-bearing.
One of the doors hidden behind a mirror opens into a small hallway that leads to the laundry room and kitchen.
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The large, bright kitchen was designed to be a social space, focused on sharing rather than cooking. White finishings, wood and glass give the room a bright and spacious feeling. The small sitting area has two 20th century chairs and a bioethanol fireplace.
The clients had already owned the chairs in the breakfast corner before moving in. They were reupholstered with a Scandinavian patterned fabric.
The work area in the kitchen consists of two elements: A kitchen unit with a pantry, oven, sink and dishwasher on the wall; and a wooden island with an induction cooktop. There is no exhaust hood; an extractor is incorporated into the cooktop itself.
Another door from the living room leads to some of the bedrooms, through a hallway equipped with full-height closets. These make up for a lack of storage options in the bedrooms themselves. In this area, as with the rest of the home, all the doors are flush with the wall, and the walls are enamelled up to the ceiling.
The architect referenced Hadid’s style in the bedroom furniture as well, as exemplified by this smooth, rounded chest of drawers.
Even the desk in one of the children’s bedrooms recalls Hadid’s curved lines with a look that is both playful and sophisticated, perfect for growing kids. Frello designed it himself.
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The shower in one of the main bathrooms is positioned against a wall with a window. The walls and ceiling are finished in a resin-based paint, which makes it more moisture resistant and suitable for the bathroom.
The rounded sink in the guest bathroom is another tribute to Hadid. On the right, a small sliding door hides a niche for accessories. Even the mirror provides storage space, while hand towels lie on the small table.
The irregular, curved outline of the apartment didn’t cause any problems. “We stuck to Hadid’s aesthetic, using her characteristic curves in furniture and without substantially modifying the original layout of the apartment,” Frello says.
If Hadid built the “container,” then Frello created the “content:” the internal partitions, the materials and the furnishings. That’s why there’s no tension between the exterior and interior. The result is fluid and full of clever ideas.
Read more:
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Tell us:
What did you like the most about this home? Share in the Comments below.
If Hadid built the “container,” then Frello created the “content:” the internal partitions, the materials and the furnishings. That’s why there’s no tension between the exterior and interior. The result is fluid and full of clever ideas.
Read more:
11 Architects’ Home Offices From Around the World
Tell us:
What did you like the most about this home? Share in the Comments below.
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Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A family of four
Where: Citylife district, Milan, Italy
Renovation year: End of 2016
Architect: Paolo Frello & Partners
Size: About 2,370 square feet (220 square meters)
Budget: About ₹160,00,000 (about $250,000) including furnishings
The building is part of CityLife, an urban renewal project in the Fiera Campionaria district in Milan. Before the renovation, the apartment had been a blank canvas: There was just a hint of space partitioning, which made it possible to adapt the layout to the owners’ needs. His main tactic was to limit the size of the bedroom, so as to expand the common areas, that is, the living room and kitchen. It was also unfinished, so Frello was able to choose the finishes throughout the home himself.