Permanence and Transformation. Adaptive Reuse of an Office Building for Unconventional Housing in San Donato Milanese

Abstract

This dissertation starts from the hypothesis of developing a conversion proposal for the Terzo Palazzo Uffici, an office building from the second half of the twentieth century designed by Franco Albini in collaboration with Franca Helg in San Donato Milanese, Italy (1969-1974), addressing contemporary housing needs through an adaptive reuse strategy. Developed within the framework of the UAH! (Unconventional Affordable Housing!) research project, the proposed intervention transforms an obsolete building into a domestic environment open to change, while simultaneously addressing affordability, communal living, and intergenerational sharing. The research combines theoretical analysis, the study of exemplary projects and a design proposal. The theoretical framework informing the practical component is structured around three interconnected dimensions. The first dimension examines Franco Albini's architectural legacy within the context of Italian Rationalism - specifically his core design themes of suspension and transparency, which drove permanent experimentation and innovation - as well as the ethical framework of heritage intervention, drawing on the theories of Cesare Brandi, Camillo Boito, and Fernando Távora. The second dimension addresses the contemporary realities reshaping domestic life, analysing emerging housing models - namely coliving, cohousing, and intergenerational housing - through the theoretical perspectives of Monique Eleb and Herman Hertzberger. The third dimension explores design strategies centred on flexibility, versatility, and reversibility, understood as intentional principles rather than inevitable consequences of time. The dissertation concludes that adaptive reuse is not only a viable but an urgent response to obsolete built heritage - proving more sustainable and potentially more economical than demolition and reconstruction, while capable of revitalising urban areas and preserving architectural value. The Terzo Palazzo Uffici emerges not as untouchable heritage, but as an opportunity to be reactivated.