Eclectic Escape

Oriental eclecticism on the third floor of a 1920s building in the heart of liberty/neo-rococò Milan, between Porta Venezia and Stazione Centrale. Very lively neighborhoods, authentic and chic, but not haughty. A buzzing mixture of tradition and new cultures, they are being increasingly chosen by young professionals and creatives, lured by the affordable prices.

“That was our case! We finally found the right apartment after months of searching”, Francesca Pellicciari and Giacomo Donati say.

Francesca is Chinese-Italian. She’s a graphic designer and earned her Architecure degree in Venice. Giacomo is a lawyer from Piacenza. Along with their friend Ayaki Itoh – Japanese, naturalised Italian – they are the founders of Nanban, young EC platform for the best of Japanese products.

“It’s an attempt to introduce everyday Japan to Europe: timeless objects and ancient traditions,” they explain. “To approach Japanese culture through the re-opening of a direct contact. Something like a bridge between two worlds.”

‘Nanban’ is the word used by Japanese to mean the Western traders, who reached the coasts of the archipelago in the 1500s.

“So far, very little of the beauty that can be discovered there you can find in the Old Continent nowadays,” they say. “We noticed this during our travels and we had the idea to share our favourite findings. Our list ranges from utensils to modern antiques, from classics of design to the latest productions”. Always increasing and easy to be bought online (www.nan-ban.com).

Many of which can be found among the minimalist interiors of their elegant apartment: 120 squared meters flooded with light. The original structure and materials are nearly intact. High plastered ceilings, hardwood floors, leaded glass window shades, cast iron radiators; and – surprise! – a stunning quad packed with vegetation, with persimmons, medlars, palm trees, hortensiae…

“The occasion we’d been waiting for!” Perfect as it was. “Indeed, the only thing we modified is the hallway. It was the least interesting part of the flat, now it’s a protagonist. It’s a sort of spine of mirrored surfaces and blu linoleum connecting the two ends of the house; the core on which the various rooms insist.”
A sharply contemporary sign, baffling with his game of reflections offering different perspectives depending on the looking point. “For instance, the Pirelli tower seems to bounce from the last room directly to the entrance hall.” Magnified by the mirrors, the light reaches the hallway with a natural reverberation that moves throughout the day. “A great idea from our friends at Baukuh,” a collective of young architects active between Milan and Genoa, known for the “Casa della Memoria”(House of Memory) in Garibaldi Repubblica, Milan (www.baukuh.it).

The rest was small touches. “We connected the spacious living and the guest room with two openings integrated in the closet wall, slightly modified the layout of the kitchen, with counters and stoves on two sides and a place for the table next to the window; and we split the only bathroom to get a room dedicated to the traditional ofuro bath, with the typical hinoki purification tub.

The measured decor reflects their personal taste. “Not really a style, more of a collection of interests and family inheritance.” Rustic and su misura furniture alongside classics of Nordic, Italian and Japanese design. Hans Wegner e Ico Parisi. Gio Ponti e Sori Yanagi, “a Japanese Catiglioni”, we would dare say. “His chairs were a true coup the coeur during one of our numerous transferts. We had them delivered via ship!”, Francesca adds. On the other hand, the scenographic Ingo Maurer lamp in rice paper and bamboo, another timeless cult for amateurs like them, was discovered online. Other more contemporary pieces come from designer friends, like the lamps Flag by Servomuto and Filo by Andrea Anastasio.

Through flea markets, travels and new discoveries, the list is bound to keep growing…

Nanban DNA.