2004
A special interpretation of the concept of transparency and flow of internal and external spaces provided by the architect in the Tod’s building. L-shaped in plan seven-storey volume, inscribed in the structure of the block of dense buildings. The functional purpose of the building is the office and retail premises of the Italian company Tod. An unusual interpretation of the façade surface is the translation of the theme of elm trees that grow along the boulevard into concrete and glass. This outer surface serves as both a graphic design and a structural system and consists of 300 mm thick concrete and frameless glass. The resulting surface supports floor slabs 10-15 meters long without any internal columns. Moving away from the obvious differences between walls and openings, lines and planes, 2D and 3D dimensions, transparency and opacity, this building is characterized by a type of abstractness. The silhouette of the tree creates a new image with a constant tension that arises between the symbolic concreteness of the building and its abstractness. The building, thanks to its architectural novelty, expresses both the living presence of the fashion brand and the resilience in the urban environment.