EKU Systems for the former Origgi pavilion of the Niguarda Hospital renovation

For the renovation of the former Origgi pavilion decommissioned by the Niguarda Hospital in Milan, to adapt it to the function of the new headquarters of the ARPA Lombardia laboratory complex, were used the EKU 66 TT HPS window system and the Eku 50 facade system Glass.

The project of the New Laboratories Centre in Milan is part of a number of renovation and strengthening interventions of the ARPA Lombardy network.

The ARPA Network of Regional Environmental Agencies has identified the centralization of the laboratory centers as the best solution for optimizing resources and maintaining the qualitative and quantitative levels of the activities carried out.

The new hub in Milan, located inside the perimeter of the Niguarda hospital complex in the former Origgi pavilion, is the first HUB of ARPA Lombardy and, together with the second HUB in Brescia, centralizes the laboratories currently active in the territory.

The renovation of the former Origgi pavilion

Being part of the first block of buildings, built along the public street front in 1934, the former Origgi pavilion is the historical and iconic architectural image of the Niguarda Hospital and, despite the passing of the years, besides some ordinary maintenance works, it has not undergone external architectural changes or additions as instead happened to other blocks inside the district.

The building is characterized by a monumental and classicist architecture composed with simple and linear shapes, where the balance between the parts is managed with articulated elegance thanks also to the rigorously flat roofs, which give life to large terraces facing the internal garden.

The renovation project includes a series of building, structural and plant engineering works aimed at adapting the pavilion, subject to historical monumental constraints.

Interventions were made on the building structures so that they comply with the new seismic regulations, as well as further interventions necessary for the supply and energy saving of the building, such as the construction of a new underground electrical substation and the connection to the pipelines of the hospital for the supply of cooling and heating fluids.

The new laboratories were built on the ground floor, while on the first floor are located the offices of the ARPA Department (the plant rooms and warehouses are in the basement).

Intervention on the architectural design

As regards the main architectural design, facing east, a conservative/material renovation was carried out of all the stone components, of the cladding and of the Botticino marble blocks, replacing the irreparably degraded, missing, or detached.

Both on the main façade and on the secondary one, all the windows have been replaced with new aluminum systems with high thermal insulating and acoustic performance. «600 windows and doors have been replaced» underlines Mr. Massimo Castiglioni of CFA Srl, the company that made and installed the new windows.

«The EKU 66 TT HPS system was chosen, which guarantees a high level of thermal performance, resistance to atmospheric agents and noise reduction. The reduced section of the profiles (66 mm) allows for excellent luminosity in the interiors».

On the West façade, two new stairwells have been inserted in the corners of the lower pavilions, clad with a continuous façade made with the EKU 50 Glass system, a reticular mullion solution capable of meeting the aesthetic and energy saving requirements of the envelope.

«In order to close off the two stairwells» continues Massimo Castiglioni, «we installed about 700 square meters of façade. Load tests were also carried out and passed with success. This is a sign of the excellent resistance provided by the glass (and by the alu system) and the correct installation made».

Project at a glance