The parquet decorates itself and it becomes furniture. The Xilo 1934, specialized (also) in the field of wood floors, presented at Cersaie 2015 a product of great interest: the design floor Kimano. We talk about a decorated parquet, expression of a unique style that combines the elegance of wood product to the aesthetics of a classic finish.

This made in Italy product also has advantages, including ease of maintenance, as well as being more resistant to scratches and, in case of damage, the surface can be repaired. In addition, it is natural: no formaldehyde or toxic emissions, but only water paint with a greater protective layer. Kimono, available in multiple formats, is indicated for installations on radians and cooled; it is perfect for glued installation and floating.

And above all it gives rise to new locations. The flooring is no longer just finishes for interiors and exteriors, but it becomes subject to personalize our rooms and create geometric patterns or shapes that change the appearance. Kimano was created by the artist from Palermo Fiorella Bonanno. Daughter of art, with a love for decorations from a young age, Bonanno is passionately dedicated to the study and reproduction of typical Sicilian décor wood, keeping alive the artistic traditions of his homeland.  

Wood, through metal, explores new design expressions that address the theme of the reflection of light: this is the approach behind Silver Rail, the latest proposal from ALPI, the first company in the world to industrialize the process of reconstituted wood, and now an unchallenged technological reference point in the wood sector. Silver Rail is the result of intensive R&D activity – a true characteristic of the company’s DNA – that has allowed ALPI to develop materials conceived to interact with light, confirming its role as a professional partner and its outstanding ability to interpret and foresee market trends with solutions that are increasingly sophisticated in both aesthetic and technological terms, capable of giving concrete form to any idea from its spheres of reference: large luxury brands, giants in the automotive and nautical sectors, prestigious furniture makers, and the fields of product design, interior architecture and contract. Decorative wooden surfaces crossed by metal lines that reflect light: Silver Rail is a material with a modern design - applicable to finished products or horizontal and vertical surfaces - combining the softness and warmth of wood with the glow and rigor of metal. An innovative offering, the result of sophisticated technology and the careful, tailor-made workmanship typical of ALPI; a synthesis of two apparently antithetical materials, conceived to respond to the emerging trend towards luminosity in interior decorating, in the year UNESCO has proclaimed as that of light and light-based technologies.   Silver Rail lends itself to infinite possibilities of personalization: from the choice of color and design from the vast range of ALPI woods to the indication of the number and the spaces between the metal lines, which can be governed by regular, precise geometric patterns or designed with more sinuous shapes. With proper lighting, the material offers intriguing luminous effects that add character to rooms and enhance the design of objects and furnishings. Silver Rail is available in the ALPIlignum and ALPIkord versions:   ALPIlignum This product is the company’s cornerstone: the true symbol of the ALPI universe, the finest expression of its R&D activities and the perfect blend of technological innovation and artisan know-how. A line of woods that offers unlimited aesthetic variety and personalization: reproducing the colors and grain of natural materials (over 120 types in the catalogue) or creating Design Wood with unusual chromatic effects, allowing for maximum creativity. ALPIlignum is a sliced wood that can be applied to any surface and produced in different thicknesses depending on the application. It is therefore an extremely versatile product, capable of responding to all project needs in functional and aesthetic terms. Its particular production process involves peeling logs (of Poplar, Lime Wood or Ayous), always of certified origin, to make sheets that are immersion dyed and "reassembled" by stacking the layers of dyed wood to make a “new log”. The absence of the typical defects of traditional wood, the uniformity and reproducibility of colors and sizes make it ideal for rapid implementation of single production runs or series. ALPIkord The line of prefinished woods treated with state-of-the-art products and varnishes to bring out the natural beauty of the entire ALPIlignum range, applied on a surface and then varnished. The result is a large wooden panel ready for application to any surface, to reduce the time needed for working, varnishing and installation. The practicality of ALPIkord finishes is joined by high levels of quality, unique design and customization, as well as the environmental certifications pertaining to ALPIlignum. By request, FSC certification, the most important international guarantee of its kind of the sustainable origin of our wood, is also available for ALPIkord. ALPI, wood&more: Italian roots for international excellence An absolute leader in the production of decorative surfaces in multilaminar wood, ALPI was the first company in the world to industrialize the manufacturing process for reconstituted wood, setting new qualitative standards. The perfect balance between manual skills and high technology make the firm unique. On the one hand, ALPI is pure innovation, ahead of the demands of the market; on the other, it represents painstaking craftsmanship. An example of excellence that thanks to the depth of its collections – applicable to finished products and horizontal or vertical surfaces – combined with the ability to design bespoke solutions, is an unchallenged technological reference point for the wood sector. A professional partner of leading luxury brands and major manufacturers of automobiles and yachts, as well as prestigious names in furniture, product design, interior architecture and 360° contract, ranging from hôtellerie to multi-apartment developments, retailing to offices to public spaces. What sets ALPI apart on the worldwide scene is its direct control of the entire process, from the log to the finished product, starting with forest management using chain-of-custody certification to guarantee the legal and sustainable sourcing of the wood and total product traceability. ALPI is therefore a guarantee of an eco-responsible, versatile design product, made possible by major investments in R&D, raw materials of the highest quality, avant-garde technology and the finest tailor-made craftsmanship. Other important features of the firm are its vast range of offerings and great ability to respond to the specific requirements of a highly diversified client base, also through the design and development of custom lines and one-off collections. Today ALPI – helmed by Vittorio Alpi, the founder’s grandson – has industrial facilities of 180,000 sq. meters (52,000 indoors) in Italy, and 346,500 sq. meters (over 67,000 indoors) in Africa, for a production capacity of over 30 million square meters per year, with capillary distribution networks in over 60 countries. The firm stands out for reliability and solidity, based on sales growth that surpassed the level of 130 million euros in 2014.     www.alpi.it

This project deals with the extension and the restructuration of a young workers residence, a 10-levels building made of a concrete structure with overhangs every 2.50m. The existing building was built in a brutal way in the 1970s on the Fondation Eugene Napoleon domain, a group of Heritage buildings.

To go faster, allow freedom of interior organization and future flexibility, the extensions have been assembled using a metal frame.

The anodized aluminium envelope draws up a new geometry, free of architectural styles, that encompasses the extensions and the existing buildings.

It reflects the light and is slit by openings onto the windows and the balconies/galleries of the garden. Final touch to the Fondation’s composition, the garden is connected to the Boulevard by openings in the outer wall, to the communal life spaces on the ground floor and to the galleries on the western façade.

The housing itself is the result of working on expanding minimum space, on series and repetitions. The metal structure allows shifting forward or backward the light frame partition walls in the flats to create two spaces, the “services” in the hall and the living space close to the window.

 (Fabiana Cambiaso - Università La Sapienza) Credits: suzelbrout.com Figures: ©  Hervé Abbadie; © Frédéric Delangle Young Workers Residence, Paris, France aasb_agence d'architecture suzelbrout / Suzel Brout, Leslie Mandalka Site: 3751 mq Completed: 2011 Materials: Modular panels of anodised aluminium with serial holes made with laser technology, Steel Applications: Envelope, Structure  

Novello Case is a company specialized in the production of wooden houses, which stands for ecology, safety, sustainability and energy saving. It was founded in 1956 as a small family-run company, and it invested energy and resources in the field of green building until it got to develop the “Environment” Division in 2008, dedicated to sustainable architecture. To celebrate the company's commitment in this area, with significant investments in research and development, Novello Case recently held a special Open Day last September 26: a day devoted to this material, an opportunity to discover the green building projects and learn about sustainable building techniques.

The new Novello's headquarters was chosen as the background of the event: it is the largest wooden building in industrial use in Europe, for a total of 17 thousand square meters. A significant meeting point for a day that saw the wood and its possible uses in green architecture as guest stars.

A great success for what could be the first of a series of events. Ultimate goal: to spread eco-friendly culture which underpins the philosophy of Novello.

Just in the last months, the Green Building Council released the Green Building Economic Study 2015, a document that highlights the continued growth of this sector. Only in 2014 in the United States has given work to more than 2 million people. The USGBC is the body that certifies the sustainability in buildings. According to the report, the sustainable architecture industry has grown by 15 times and only in 2014 in this area were invested 129 billion – about 112 billion.

05 February 2019

Taking the place of a run-down office building in the heart of the City of London, the striking new “Motel One” building by “Mackay + Partners” features ground-breaking use of DuPont™ Corian® high-tech surface as an illuminated façade. Offering a welcome new four star facility to the area, the latest Motel One operation hosts 291 bedrooms and is now open for business. The building comprises two forms: a seven storey “decorative cube” fronting the street and a sixteen storey glass tower to the rear. Designed by Mackay + Partners for developers Endurance Land & Scottish Widows Investment Partnership, it brings a bright and a fresh new identity and a directional aesthetic vision to the area. The concept enjoyed full support from the City of London planning department who were happy to explore the choice of DuPont™ Corian® as the exterior cladding material, as opposed to the more typical specifications of steel, glass or stone.

“The design is entirely contemporary, yet fully responsive to its current and known future context,” says Ken Mackay of Mackay + Partners, “I have specified DuPont™ Corian® for other applications and so I am well aware of its properties, but the choice of Corian® to clad this project came about through extensive research and working very closely with DuPont.”

This elegant exterior skin for the new building functions both as a sustainable open-jointed rain screen façade and also as a distinctive design feature. The eye-catching cladding, made from DuPont™ Corian® in a translucent white, presents a pure and simple finish during daylight hours, but at night, backlit designs within certain panels illuminate the structure to dramatic effect. The LED lighting system is on a colour wheel that can be changed via computer controlled dimming and the patterns and hues chosen reflect the Motel One brand. This combination of rain screen cladding with LED lighting is a first for London, according to the architects.

Mackay + Partners ensured a high standard of sustainability in all aspects of the development, which has achieved a BREEAM excellent energy rating. Key to this was the design of a façade with excellent thermal performance (and just 35% glazing) plus the specification of heat recovery systems and green roofs to further enhance efficiency and mitigate rainwater run-off.

Gwyn Richards of the City of London comments: “The building’s vibrant and playful facades demonstrate that new hotel buildings need not have bland, monotonous and repetitive facades. The ground-breaking use of DuPont™ Corian® as a facing material is innovative and convincing, both during the day and also when illuminated at night. The building demonstrates the importance of an ingenious architectural approach being carried through to implementation, in terms of the integrity of the original architectural concept, but also the highest quality of detailing and materials. The building sits comfortably within its surroundings whilst creating a highly compelling work of contemporary architecture which can be proud of its place in the City’s dynamic architectural character.”

DuPont™ Corian® is proving to be a valuable solution for façade applications in many ways, from design versatility to long term functionality. Completely homogenous and non-porous, it is easy to clean and maintain. It is also fire rated, resistant to graffiti, UV and climatic conditions – and should any damage occur – the material is repairable. DuPont™ Corian® is compatible with a ‘secret’ fix undercut anchor system and its lightweight, workable properties are a further benefit to both fabrication and installation. DuPont™ Corian® also offers the broadest range of international certification for facade applications among solid surfaces and has passed a series of fundamental tests for its application to the exterior of buildings. These include freeze/thaw cycling resistance, standards proving the material’s resistance to exterior environmental substances, fire performance tests, and tests for abuse resistance.

Carlo Bardelli