Office building in Corso Europa, Milan

The building is only fourteen metres deep; it has a double volume with a irregular-shaped hall where the central staircase is located; all the entrances give onto this hall. The front is vertically characterised by the structural pattern of six piers and a horizontal pattern created by dividing each aluminium window into three; the latter's frame enables the insertion of partition walls between the windows. As a result the curtain wall - an element already consolidated in the construction of contemporary tertiary buildings - abandons its classical function as a completely glass façade in order to allow maximum exploitation of the elevation. In this case it is partially replaced by a series of window sills at a height of +1.40 m from the floor - a measurement established by the height of a standard filing cabinet that can therefore be placed against the wall without being seen from the street. Each window sill supports two rectangular windows (a guillotine window and one with a side hung casement, produced in series) and is divided by a portion of the full height, custom-designed window. The rhythmic alternance of the window elements creates a continuous vertical fascia on the façade; its linearity is also ensured by the absolute co planarity of the windows with the façade itself. As a result, the two-dimensional surface of the windows is transformed into a strict, elegant design; it is also the only "decorative" element of the building, capable of ensuring the formal performance of the whole road. The trapezoidal entrance hall faces directly onto Corso Europa on one side and onto the volumetric staircase with the offices on the other; the intrados is built in exposed reinforced concrete with rubber for the treads, risers, and internal landings. Five double-height shops are situated in what can be considered the base of the façade; the shops giving onto a rear courtyard have an open loft area thanks to an ingenious wooden sliding system on side tracks; the respective back shops can be accessed using a service entrance on the ground floor. The façade has a glossy white granite slab cladding, coplanar to the windows and exposed reinforced concrete piers. The only exceptional item is Magistretti's symmetrical design of the two right spans of the top floor where there is a terrace rather than windows between the piers.

In 2013 the restructuring of the building modified many of the internal finishes and - above all - radically altered the front facing the courtyard (not visible from the street). All the windows of the façade along Corso Europa were replaced with elements that are less elegant than the original casings, although they do reflect the original design.