The CO99 Art Building & OPR Gallery

Light and art in Milan

An aparthotel in the heart of Milan, where you can stay for a few days or more, CO99 Art Building & OPR Gallery is the new hotel proposal in the Milanese capital offering environments to meet modern lifestyle needs, through the combination of technology, design and art. Indeed, the building boasts the OPR Gallery, a contemporary art space that hosts exhibitions, talks and events throughout the year.

The building, which once housed offices, has been completely renovated through an intervention by the architect Federico Regazzoni, who also directed the interior design project. Today the building, by offering rooms and apartments of different sizes spread over three floors, and amenities designed for both short stays and long rentals, is aimed at a business clientele, as well as tourists and students looking for environments designed for contemporary living. The offer is complete with an outdoor terrace, where you can relax surrounded by greenery, a lounge area, where you can meet up with other guests, and co-working spaces designed for work moments. And, finally, to show off everything in its best light is the striking lighting design.

The lighting design by Light+Arch Consultancy combines various solutions from the Linea Light Group range, all sharing a minimal design and the high performance to respond to different specific needs.

For example, there was the need to adequately enhance the numerous works of art present within the building, including in the OPR Gallery, the common areas, and in the passageways and access areas to the rooms.For the Gallery, in particular, a diffused and soft lighting was preferred, which would allow the different works of art to be put on display over time. For this reason, the product Luno was used, which is usually installed in the form of strips, but here was used in a customized version with visible and curved channels, directing very soft and nuanced lighting towards the ceiling. The result is an “industrial” style lighting that is well suited to the works of art on display.For common and transit areas, however, Cell downlights were used for general lighting, while Warp recessed spotlights were used above doors to signal the entrances to the rooms.Inside the rooms are various decorative lighting solutions, including Box, a wall lamp with a discreet design, which appears like a luminous bubble, a Crew_2 ceiling lamp, which comes in different colour combinations, and, finally, a Loro_R downlight, with multiple installation possibilities. For the lighting of the external facade, with the aim of highlighting its energy, Periskop Narrow spotlights controlled by Dali were used, installed with very narrow beams to accentuate the pattern of the facade and its structure. This solution creates an eye-catching effect, especially in the evening when the building becomes extremely recognizable, both from nearby and far away. For the stairwell, the TU_Top linear wall lamp was chosen, perfect for creating a modern styling, thanks to the product’s elegant and minimal lines. The lighting design was completed by including some specific solutions for the outdoors, such as the sphere lamps of the Oh! collection. This was used on the terrace to both illuminate and furnish with simplicity and elegance. The Envelope wall light was then used as a step marker for the staircase leading to the entrance of the building, and the Voyager lamp post was used for relamping of existing structures.

Credits:

Architectural project and interior design: Architect Federico Regazzoni

Lighting design: Light+Arch Consultancy, Architect Giorgio Colombo

Lighting Contractor : Bespoke Lighting Solutions Milano

Products: Luno, Cell, Warp, Box, Crew_2, Loro_R, Periskop Narrow, TU_Top, Oh!, Envelope, Voyager

Photos: Photographer Marco Reggi

Year: 2022