Rome-based architect Maurizio Giovannoni has designed this contemporary penthouse renovation.
Completed in 2012, this 700 square foot penthouse apartment is located in Turku, Finland. The renovation involved the removal of walls to allow natural light to flow freely through the space.
Contemporary Penthouse Renovation by Maurizio Giovannoni:
“The apartment is a little penthouse (about 65 mq.) in Turku, Southern Finland. Before renovation, too many walls and doors blocked the spaces and the passage of light, and the most beautiful view of the historical sites of Turku was on the bedroom side. My principal goal in this project was letting the light flow in and creating a relaxing living room where my customer could do his creative work.
The partial demolition of walls was a natural consequence, along with reversing the location of the bedroom and living room. After fixing this, we decided on the overall “concept” together with my customer, organizing all the details that colored the white spaces. That happened during my customer’s visit to Rome (due to my impossibility to travel in that period), and via 4oo e-mails between Turku and Rome. The result is what I now consider my style: a blend of cultures. There is nothing that stimulates me more than to study different countries and make some cultural themes recognizable but never intrusive in the project.
In this case, the floor is covered with parquet of white ash, the shelves are birch and the kitchen table is also birch but colored with heat. Wood is a omnipresent element in this flat as it constantly is for Finnish people, but the real attention is catalyzed by the nature theme pictured on wall paper, carrying colours and contrasts and a typical Mediterranean “courage”. The furniture itself is a mix of the 2 cultures and of past & present: the grandmother’s armchair is a piece of Finnish vintage from the sixties as is the red floor lamp. The arc framing the wall paper is the famous Twiggy by Foscarini and the suspended lamps are Italian as well: Olimpia by Ideal Lux. Everything fits together in perfect harmony!”
Photos courtesy of Maurizio Giovannoni
