Starting from what used to be an empty lot, the project welds the relationship between the fabric of the town centre and the more expansive Art Nouveau period. Part of the latter is also the 20th-century Borgomaneri factory, opposite the complex, which stands on Via Roma.
The two opposite buildings represent the different typologies of two urban fabrics: the Lombard courtyard and the detached villa. A single language is spoken in this lot, thanks to the combination of these two types, thus "resolving the city for the people" as stated by Roberto Cremascoli of COR Arquitectos.
Via Roma connects the historic centre of Gallarate with the Simplon route. It was precisely the role played by this specific area in the city that guided the search for the high quality of the project. A search for complexity, capable of innovating the concept of detached building. The relationships with the surrounding context are emphasised through physical and ideal links, paths and routes.
The Gallarate project can benefit from the Portuguese architect's special aptitude for analysing the transformations of the historical urban fabric in the city. Álvaro Siza - the most important representative of the 'Porto School’ and winner of the prestigious Pritzker Prize in 1992 - has a modern and original approach to projects. His style is often referred to as 'poetic modernism', due to his ability to add creative and emotional elements.
