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Michele Pasini, Architect Master
The Salone del Mobile has been going strong in Milan since 6 June! A gathering in which The Socialite Family is participating, taking over a family hotel in Via Vitruvio 25 under the name Pensione until 10 June, with an atmosphere entirely redesigned by our decoration brand and our media. This is an opportunity to showcase the city’s talents over the course of a week, following the example of Michele Pasini – co-founder of the architectural agency Storage Associati – whose philosophy is as evident in his work as it is in the places he lives in and enjoys changing. A sort of “handover” between old and new occupants, which this Milanese by adoption confesses to liking as a concept. Although it is hard to identify him with a particular dwelling, his style, on the other hand, is immediately identifiable. Straightforward and minimalist. Two adjectives that perfectly define his new apartment, a slightly anachronistic setting featuring sophisticated materials and graphic lines, the history of which can be seen in some of the ceilings. This space is as cinematic as it is precise and is reminiscent of the spaces that the architect designs with his colleagues for the fashion industry. A professional distortion that he associates with a degree of freedom in terms of furniture, functioning more on the basis of his own personal preferences and the emotions he feels when confronted with the contrast between “a place and what you put in it”.
Discover Michele Pasini’s unique world in our first The Socialite Family self-published book, Retrospective. An anthology of the most beautiful interior glimpses throughout the history of our medium, available in our shop and on our e-shop.
Location
Milan
Author
Caroline Balvay
Photographer
Constance Gennari
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I found my direction through living in Milan, which is really a vast catalogue of architectural expressions of many of the most famous names.
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TSF
Michele, can you introduce yourself, please?
Michele
I was born in Brescia, a small but charming town in northern Italy. In love with beauty and conceptuality – wherever it is implemented: interiors, architecture, art, cinema, literature, etc. – the expression of creativity, in general, is what appeals to me most and sometimes overwhelms me.
TSF
What is your background?
Michele
I’ve always loved art. So I studied it without a moment’s hesitation before going to Milan for my higher education at the Politecnico University of Architecture. To complete it, I also had a year-long work experience in London to study product design. That was a very rewarding experience! Once I was back in Milan, during my last year of university, I co-founded an architectural practice, StorageMilano, with two partners. We’re currently continuing our adventure, which has been – and still is – as challenging as it is satisfying!
TSF
Tell us about your upbringing. Where did you grow up and, consequently, develop your taste?
Michele
Moving directly from university into the “real” field allowed me to directly develop my/our perspective on specific projects. It was an incredible stroke of luck! Our first project was a fashion shop. It was love at first sight. The expression of an interior concept tailored to a shop resulted in a specific expression that contained a high level of creativity and a genuine insight into creating a specific emotional experience. One that those using it could feel. It’s what made me fall in love with my job. This is the area where I finally developed what I love doing. And where I learned that many things can be a source of inspiration: large signature interiors as well as small insignificant things (shapes or sounds, for example).
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TSF
Designers, artists: whose work has influenced you and your work?
Michele
I don’t necessarily refer to specific people. Studying architecture in Italy gave me a broad overview of the history of architecture and design! I found my direction through living in Milan, which is really a vast catalogue of architectural expressions of many of the most famous names. But if I had to choose one, I would say that Vincenzo De Cotiis was and still is a good person to look at to keep a clear perspective. Remi Khoolaas is a true master.
TSF
What do you like most about interior design?
Michele
To begin with, the way you can play with the layout, the proportions and the shapes. Then the materials that make the magic and the details that define and complete the dialogue. There’s a kind of magical feeling when you see what you’ve imagined come to life. Like a sense of confirmation when the feeling you were trying to achieve manifests itself. It’s what drives you forward, to keep designing, searching, thinking, rethinking, and encouraging the many people who are behind the realisation of an interesting project. It is not the project itself that makes the difference but the process you follow.
TSF
How would you define your style?
Michele
Simple, timeless and proportional if possible, and elegant, I hope.
TSF
What materials do you particularly like to work with?
Michele
Metal, concrete. I love brass, too!
TSF
What do you notice right away when you arrive somewhere?
Michele
Light and space.
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TSF
Tell us about your first encounter with this incredible space. What is the story behind it? How did you plan it, how did you arrange it?
Michele
It’s not really a compelling story. I was looking for a new apartment and found one that suited my needs. However, this place was very different then from what it is now. There were many more rooms, more partition walls, and lower ceilings and floors in terrible condition too. Nothing to get excited about at first sight! Fortunately, there was the terrace and – surprise – an extra room at the end of it – and a dual aspect. In short, there was a lot to do. I quickly started to “play” by demolishing as much as possible. And it was in the process of doing so that I found other little treasures. The ceilings, in particular, which are all decorated with paintings from the last century. Everything was behind false ceilings made of real plaster! This largely defined the way I designed my interior. So as not to forget them.
TSF
How did you furnish it? What does it say about you?
Michele
I brought a few rare pieces from my old apartment with me. Rare because I had it with everything in it. To start from scratch! So it took me a while to furnish here. Especially with the new layouts I had created, because I designed a lot of the furniture to stay as close as possible to what I imagined. The rest are mostly pieces that remind me of special moments, discoveries, people or trips. There is no particular piece of design. But this is not a manifesto, mind you! Just a place that reflects my personality and where I can live, relax, and invite friends. There’s inevitably a bit of brass involved in the simple spaces that communicate with each other through two doors. Why two doors each time? So that you can always move from one room to another without having to retrace your steps! (Laughs)
TSF
Where would you recommend we visit in Milan?
Michele
All Milan! (Laughs)
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To begin with, the way you can play with the layout, the proportions and the shapes. Then the materials that make the magic and the details that define and complete the dialogue.
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