ISSUE #49
#ROMA MANIFESTO
ACPV ARCHITECTS, ARUP, ASSET AND PARCNOUVEAU | ADAT STUDIO | ALESSIA GARIBALDI ARCHITECTS | ALVISI KIRIMOTO | AMAA |ANNALISA METTA | ANDREA GRIMALDI, FILIPPO | CREW | DEMOGO | DIAP – DIPARTIMENTO DI ARCHITETTURA E PROGETTO | FOSTER + PARTNERS | GIAMMETTA ARCHITECTS | IT’S | LABICS | LAMBERTUCCI | LAN ARCHITECTURE | LPA LAZZARINI PICKERING ARCHITETTI | MARINCOLA ARCHITECTS | MIJIC ARCHITECTS | OSA | SERENA MIGNATTI | SET ARCHITECTS | STARTT | STEFANO BOERI ARCHITETTI | STUDIO GIAMPIERO PANEPINTO | STUDIOPAOLAVIGANÒ (SPV) | STUDIO TAMAT | TANZI ARCHITECTURE | TVK
NEW HEADQUARTERS OF THE FOREIGN PRESS ASSOCIATION
PALAZZO GRAZIOLI – ROME
The architect Serena Mignatti is responsible for the design and creation of the new headquarters of the Foreign Press at Palazzo Grazioli in Rome. Selected by the Association’s Board of Directors through a
design competition open to other architectural firms, Mignatti, along with her team and in agreement with the Association, chose to develop a project that diverged from what was present at Palazzo Grazioli, with its rich style and significant complexities.
She handled all the finishes and reorganized the spaces for their new use, including the furnishings, many of which were custommade such as the bar, the dining area and the complete design of the two press rooms – one with 80 seatsand the other with 30.
Serena Mignatti opted not to follow the pre-existing logic, instead choosing a simple and functional approach, prioritizing the flexibility and functionality, but in connection with the aesthetics of the context. This approach is also evident in certain details, such as the niches in the window jambs, which have in fact expanded the spaces for reading and socializing, or the large corridor developed as the “beating heart of the association” rather than merely a passageway.
Similarly, the press rooms, the restaurant, and the workspaces were all created in collaboration with local artisans. In keeping with the Association’s needs, Serena Mignatti proposed a light, simple, and technological style of architecture. The use of reflective materials, for example in the bar, justifies the choice of not introducing new elements that would contrast with the setting. The mirror reflects the original context, absorbing its tones and colors while providing a deformed but respectful image.
