Having been designed and constructed by Antonio Mongeri in 1928 for Banca Commerciale Italiana, the building functioned with the same purpose but different owners until 1979 and fell into ruins ten years following its abandonment. After TEB’s purchase of the building in 1988, Kreatif Architecture was selected for the development of restoration and renovation projects as the result of an invited competition.
Upon checking the original plans, provided by the former owner of the building (i.e. Banca Commerciale Italiana) from the main headquarters in Milan, it was found out that the structural system was severely damaged. The building was then strengthened in static terms and in line with its original structure by suspending the façade. The monumental atmosphere of the interiors and the resistance of the façade against time have triggered the idea of redesigning the building as a prestige structure which pays respect to the subjectivity of historical heritage rather than a mere headquarter for a bank which always functioned along those lines.
Operational and technological demands of contemporary banking system were installed into the building without harming its general characteristics, and both structural and material elements were selected for the interiors in harmony with the historical texture of the building.
