GLOBE TROT

November 2012

showcasing space and style

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Penthouse in Turku

Maurizio Giovannoni designs an uber-chic residence in Finland

Text : Ra jin i K a r th a
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I mages : M ikko Ala -Pe ija r i

this particular project is a 65 square metre penthouse in turku, Southern Finland. the concept and basic details of design were finalised during the clients visit to Rome and thereafter the communication between Maurizio and his client exceeded 400 odd e-mails! Says Maurizio, this was a special project, because 80% of it was designed and finalised when my client visited Rome and thereafter 400 or so e-mails between us helped in tying up the rest of the details. Furniture and artefacts were all chosen online. Prior to the renovation, too many walls and doors cramped the space and hampered the passage of light. the bedroom had a beautiful view of the historical sites of turku, which Maurizio wanted to highlight. His principal goal was to open up the space, thereby enabling free passage of light and creating a relaxing living room where his client could indulge in creative pursuits. Some walls were demolished and the bedroom and the living room locations were interchanged, enhancing the living room with the advantage of panoramic views. Maurizio has incorporated a lot of Finnish elements in the design, marrying it successfully with Italian features. Finnish vintage pieces and contemporary Italian design elements rub shoulders and co-exist in perfect harmony in this penthouse. Wood is used liberally in this apartment a very Finnish element. A partition wall was fabricated using strips of wood and forms an eye-catching design element. the floor is covered with parquet of white ash, the shelves and the kitchen table are in birch the latter coloured with heat. the monotony of typical white Scandinavian interiors is broken with thoughtful addition of colour in just the right doses throughout the penthouse.Nature is used as a thematic element, pictured on the wallpaper highlighted by track lighting behind the living room sofa. this one colourful feature injects vibrancy into the space. the green used for the sofa is picked up from the wallpaper and also projected on the kitchen cabinets. the dining table is paired with beautifully painted wooden chairs and lit by suspended lamps, from Italy. Finnish artist Kuisma Hurtig designed the trendy chairs in bright colours.

rchitect Maurizio giovannoni is based in Rome, Italy and blends various aspects pertaining to different cultures into his work.

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A mix and match of two cultures, the past and the present, can all be seen in the furniture, lamps and other design elements. The grandmothers armchair is a Finnish vintage piece from the sixties and so is the floor lamp in red. The arc lamp is Italian Twiggy by Foscarini. Maurizio makes a chaise lounge (Le Corbusier) and a contemporary sofa by Sope share space with a vintage armchair in a tiny apartment with such finesse that everything fits in perfectly making the design seamless and elegant. Though the area is quite small, Maurizio even incorporated a walk-in closet into the design! A colourful resin door and a beautiful handmade rug are other features which add life and cheer to the space. By blending two different cultural design aspects, incorporating vintage with contemporary, Maurizio Giovinnano designed the perfect penthouse much to the delight and satisfaction of his client.

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There is nothing that stimulates me more than studying about different countries and making their cultural themes recognisable by incorporating them in my body of work, without them being overpowering or intrusive in the project.
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