In the historic centre of Turin, architects from studio BRH+ undertook a unique task. They were commissioned by the owners of a flat who wanted to create a space for them that was both suitable for living and for displaying their extensive collection of contemporary art. The result of Barbara Brondi and Marco Rainò’s work became a laboratory for new forms of dialogue between ancient and contemporary languages of expression.
The building that houses the flat was built in 1841 in the Borgo Nuovo district. This was a part of the city created on the initiative of King Victor Emmanuel I of Savoy specifically for the Turin aristocracy. Pucci Baudan’s palace quickly became one of the more elegant residences of the new district. Its magnificent façade still emphasises the noble character of the architecture of the time. An architecture that found its way onto the list of buildings protected by the conservation officer, so that work on the flat had to be carried out under his strict supervision.
The main objective in modernising this up to 300-square-metre flat was to improve its thermal and energy performance while preserving the authenticity of the historic interior. In order to hide unwanted installations, part of the original parquet floor was raised and then laid anew. The door and window frames, meanwhile, underwent conservation and were enhanced with additional layers of insulation. Particular attention was paid to the restoration of the historic floors – both seminato and domestic walnut parquet – which were restored to their original splendour through the work of local craftsmen.
At the same time, the entrance to the suite functions as a display space for contemporary art. Along the walls, a specially designed enclosure has been arranged in which the owners display their collection of works. This solution combines practice with aesthetics, as it further conceals the door leading to the ancillary rooms. The colour composition of the lobby is based on octanium tones, contrasting with the polychromatic frescoes by Victoria Stoian, represented by the Simondi gallery.
The living area of the flat comprises a spacious living room and dining room, above which rise ornate vaults. The paintings covering their surfaces have been restored to regain their former intensity of colour and detail. The focal point of the arrangement is the fully custom-made kitchen. Its finishes are a combination of Alpi Smoked Oak veneer and Velvet onyx panels, the natural veining of which has been carefully adjusted to create a coherent, almost cartoon-like layout.
The passage to the private area leads through a corridor, the interior of which has been shaped by a sequence of recessed cabinetry. The juxtaposition of wood and stone gives it an elegant rhythm, and the integrated lighting allows the atmosphere here to be graded. In this way, the technical and ancillary parts of the flat remain almost invisible and the space gives the impression of order and clarity.
The bathrooms are dominated by marble and onyx, which have been hand-processed at the Sommo Marmi workshop, one of the oldest stone manufactories in Turin. The precision of the cuts and the choice of colours have brought a unique, sculptural note to these small interiors.
The bedrooms were designed with the needs of the individual family members in mind. In the son’s room, a grey veneer and Biscuit parquet by Listone Giordano were used in a version specially created for the project. During renovation work in this room, a niche was discovered in the back wall, which was then transformed into a suspended alcove, adding an individual expression to the interior.
The flat project in the centre of Turin is an example of a carefully considered renovation that restores the splendour of the historic Italian architecture of Pucci Baudan’s palazzo, but also creates a contemporary living space of a high standard.
Project: BRH+ / Barbara Brondi & Marco Rainò
Team: Elena Costanzo
Location: Turin, Italy
Area: 300 sq m
Year: 2025
Photography: Filippo Bamberghi
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