Vertical Extension
The history of this building is a fascinating blend of respect for Rome's past and a technological vision for the future. Located in the heart of Rome, the original structure represents mid-20th-century residential architecture, characterized by solid brick volumes, functional balconies, and deep integration into the city's established historical fabric.
History and Evolution: The Balance Between Conservation and Innovation
The building, originally constructed with load-bearing masonry and reinforced concrete, has seen the evolution of the neighborhood's housing needs over the decades. The decision to intervene with a rooftop addition was driven not only by the need to gain usable surface area (real estate appreciation) but also by the desire to create a contemporary landmark capable of engaging with the "Eternal City."
The project was made possible through a delicate balance: protecting the structural integrity of the existing base while simultaneously adding three new floors that offer standards of thermal, acoustic, and living comfort that would be impossible to achieve with the original construction techniques.
The choice of the Light Steel Frame (LSF) system was not merely aesthetic, but primarily structural and logistical, making it the ideal solution for this specific context for the following reasons:
Extreme Lightweight (Load Reduction): The main challenge of adding floors to a historic building is the load-bearing limit of the existing foundations and structure. LSF, thanks to the use of cold-formed steel profiles, provides an exceptional strength-to-weight ratio. The weight of three LSF floors is a fraction of traditional concrete construction, eliminating the need for expensive and invasive structural reinforcements at the base.
Speed of Execution and "Clean" Construction: In a historic center like Rome, construction site space is extremely limited. LSF relies on dry assembly: components arrive prefabricated and are joined with screws and bolts. This drastically reduces construction time, noise, dust, and impact on city traffic.
Energy Performance (Dry Construction): The space within the steel profiles allows for the installation of high-performance insulation (mineral wool, natural insulators, etc.), ensuring an building envelope that meets the strictest energy efficiency protocols, transforming the penthouse into a NZEB (Nearly Zero Energy Building).
Millimetric Precision and Sustainability: Steel is 100% recyclable. Industrial prefabrication eliminates material waste, a fundamental aspect for modern sustainability certifications (such as LEED or BREEAM).
In summary, the addition of these three floors is not an imposition, but a technological "graft." LSF has allowed for the preservation of an aesthetic consistent with the existing building (thanks to carefully selected cladding) while elevating the penthouse’s liveability to contemporary technological standards, elegantly solving the paradox of building "the new upon the old."
Why the LSF (Light Steel Frame) System?
In summary, the addition of these three floors is not an imposition, but a technological "graft." LSF has allowed for the preservation of an aesthetic consistent with the existing building (thanks to carefully selected cladding) while elevating the penthouse’s liveability to contemporary technological standards, elegantly solving the paradox of building "the new upon the old."
Would you like to delve deeper into how structural joints between the old masonry and the new steel frame are managed to ensure seismic safety?
