Casa Italia, London ALPI contributes to the interiors of this institutional building
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In London, a stone’s throw from Buckingham Palace, stands Casa Italia, a new headquarters for the Italian Embassy, the Italian foreign trade office and the Italian Institute of Culture. Casa Italia represents Italy in all its diplomatic functions. At the same time, it is an expression of the country’s cultural, creative and architectural heritage.
In this context, ALPI was chosen to help define the interiors and contribute to the material identity of the indoor surroundings.
The interior, designed by the British creative director Nick Vinson, transformed a five-storey Victorian building in Westminster into a hub for 80 functionaries and a constant flux of institutional representatives, cultural figures, business leaders and international stakeholders. Casa Italia is a contemporary workplace as much as it is a depiction of Italy – its history, its masters and its ability to combine formal rigor and aesthetic sensibility.
Striking a balance between function and expression, ALPI wood accompanies the interior design all throughout, creating visual continuity and coherence between different areas. Wall-panelling, doors and shelving veneered in ALPI Santos make for contemporary surroundings that show elegance and warmth while fully respecting the design’s precision.
Installed in the most emblematic spaces like the ambassador’s office and the office of the deputy chief of mission, ALPI wood takes on an architectural role, defining the ambiance and strengthening the dialogue between the interior design and the Italian identity.
ALPI Santos, which reinterprets the look of rosewood, is part of the Legacy collection curated by the company’s art director, Piero Lissoni. The collection is inspired by “lost” exotic species such as ebony, Honduran mahogany and teak that are no longer readily available, or whose use is limited by law. With Legacy, ALPI makes available FSC® 100% certified surfaces based on the beauty of endangered tropical woods, offering sustainable, culturally significant veneers. In addition, the veneers’ flame-resistance is class Bs1d0, a requisite that extends their use to public spaces without compromising expressive strength in any way.
