54 BUILD / February 2017 , Benedetto Camerana, owner and founder of Italian architectural firmCamerana & Partners, talks to BuildMagazine about the company and his approach. Forward Planning Camerana & Partners is an architectural atelier based on Benedetto Camerana, architect and PhD in History of Architecture, past Editor in different architecture and landscape magazines, past Professor of Architecture in Torino Polytechnics. After some years working with established architects and engineering companies, Benedetto Camerana founded Camerana & Partners in 1997 in Torino. It is a dynamic and efficient architecture organisation employing young Italian and European architects. Camerana & Partners mayor works are then developed in 19 years of increasing success in the areas of master-planning, landscape, public and private important buildings, all of them as part of a well-committed full development of environmental principles, embodied by innovative technologies and natural energy saving systems. Benedetto explains a little more about the services and products the firm provides. “We offer a wide range of design services, going from large scale to interior, from master- planning to architectural design to exhibit design. The office has experience in various functions such as residential, commercial, retail, cultural, health, research, university, church, temporary exhibitions, indifferently for the public and the private sector.” The firm clearly distinguishes itself from the competition due to its unique approach, as Bendetto comments: “I think our quality in projects is consequence of two parallel strategies. Our wide range in design, from multiscale to multifunction (what I call an ‘unspecialised approach strategy’; and the deep distillation process we develop in any project (what I call a ‘radical answer to request’ strategy). “In my vision the combination of these strategies drives our projects towards a deep, true innovation. It is quite clear that the process it’s not easy and requires a large effort from our team. Quality is seldom effortless. “The answer to ensuring the best possible outcome when we take on a new client or project is the continuous exchange of ideas in all phases. We must put the client in a situation to fully understand how the project developing. Communication must work equally at any level - myself with the head and operatives with operatives.” The firm has a specific strategy it employs to ensure that innovation is constant and clients are always satisfied. Benedetto embellishes: “The overall aim of my company is to give every project the most innovative approach possible within the programme’s requirements and limitations. Innovation is not just about technology or materials (which are anyway crucial in innovation), moreover it is about use of space and function, and how a new approach to these fundamental issues takes in innovation as a result. The most important step in this is giving as much time and thinking to the preliminary design phase, which is the deepest point for design quality. “Along with innovation and deep preliminary thinking, my philosophy is that the best project comes out as the extreme consequence of the most radical answer to client and program requests. Usually we analyse the program and synthetize the deepest sense of it in a few statements. Then the project is a strong and thorough interpretation of these statements. Some of the firm’s most successful projects to date include - the complete redesign of the Alfa Romeo Museum and past Headquarters in Milano- Arese - the Camera Italian Foundation for Photography in Torino. “Both projects, completed in 2015, answered the complex demands of important international renowned cultural programs, requesting the requalification of listed buildings and a wide range of design task, from building regeneration to exhibit design,” states Benedetto proudly. “We are working on several requalification projects of prestigious buildings, mixed between residential and commercial,” he continues, speaking of the next 12 months for his firm. “In particular, we are working on a requalification of an industrial area in Milano-Novara transformed into a technology/ research hub, a big retail gallery complex project and we will start soon a new museum in Torino. “We are foreseeing a possible large master-planning in China, a large multiple use multilayer building in Torino (retail, sport, university housing) and a large touristic landscaped compound in the south of Italy. “As a new strategy, we are planning to open a branch in London, where I am preparing with potential clients to export an Italian quality feeling to projects, all along with our usual commitment for deep innovation and quality in any project. “We expect and we hope for a period of growth and development.” K Company: Benedetto Camerana (Camerana&Partners) Name: Benedetto Camerana Email:
[email protected] Web Address: www.camerana.com Address: Via Viotti 1, Torino Telephone: +390115119805 1702BU05 Architecture & Design