Milan-based architecture firm Co.arch Studio has completed a striking renovation of an apartment within the renowned Giomein complex, a seminal work of neo-modernist architecture designed by Mario Galvagni in 1972. The project, located in the high-altitude ski resort of Breuil-Cervinia in northern Italy, represents a thoughtful reinterpretation of experimental Alpine architecture. Founders Andrea Pezzoli and Giulia Urciuoli led the transformation of the two-level unit, which occupies the fourth and fifth floors of the historic building known for its angular geometric forms and dramatic mountain setting. The renovation emphasizes the building's original architectural language while introducing contemporary elements that respect the structure's heritage.

When the current owners acquired the property, they inherited an interior lavishly decorated in the style of a bygone era, featuring jacquard fabric wall coverings, extensive timber paneling, mirrored surfaces, and wall-to-wall carpeting that extended into every room, including the bathrooms. The architects initially explored preserving some of these original fittings but discovered that most had deteriorated beyond repair. This realization prompted a decisive shift in approach toward what Pezzoli and Urciuoli describe as a "return to the bare bones." By stripping away the worn layers, the team revealed and accentuated the apartment's essential architectural character, allowing the angular surfaces and experimental forms to become the dominant visual narrative. The copper-clad roof, lined internally with larch boards, creates a dynamic interplay of variable heights and acute volumes that echo the logic of mountain ridgelines.

The design draws inspiration from Carlo Scarpa's Casa Tabarelli near Bolzano, particularly in how it creates tension through the relationship between angular geometries, color, and material surfaces. In the living area, the architects adjusted floor levels to create an oak-framed conversation pit that pays homage to Mario Bellini's iconic 1970s Camaleonda sofa. This seating area faces a floor-to-ceiling Verde Alpi marble fireplace that serves as a dramatic focal point. Green marble appears throughout the apartment as a unifying material, including at the entrance step and in bathroom splashbacks and shower walls. The bow-shaped windows, which project from the facade, function as optical devices that regulate the relationship between inhabitants and the Alpine landscape, framing views with precision.

Behind the conversation pit, a custom-made blue dining table with a matching wood-veneered bench follows the lines of the asymmetric windows, creating a cohesive visual flow. A newly installed rotated-square window offers a glimpse into the kitchen, which features pale green cabinetry and a stainless steel counter. The architects describe this detail as a controlled homage to the luminous geometries found in Galvagni's common areas. The apartment includes three bedrooms, each with distinct design solutions. The main bedroom showcases a restored Bellini-designed Le Mura bed upholstered in brown corduroy velvet, while the children's room features a custom-made bunk bed with playful cutaways that add a sense of whimsy. On the loft level, a bed platform built into a window bay incorporates newly installed timber shutters that modulate light and privacy.

Pale limestone floors unify the bathrooms and kitchen, while other rooms feature Besana carpets in a carefully selected mix of shades that complement the overall palette. The Milanese owners have personalized the space with artworks by contemporary artists including Pablo Bronstein, Iva Lulashi, Joanna Piotrowska, and Jeremy Shaw. Pezzoli and Urciuoli emphasize that the interior design operates within a precise balance, preserving the spatial memory of the 1970s without literally replicating its decorative codes. The result is a contemporary domestic environment that honors Galvagni's architectural vision while meeting modern lifestyle needs.

The project holds particular significance for architectural history, as Galvagni's work has long been overlooked by mainstream critics and rarely appeared in influential Italian architectural magazines such as Casabella or Domus. The architects suggest this neglect may stem from Galvagni's more contextual approach compared to his better-known contemporaries working in the Alpine region, such as Marcel Breuer or Charlotte Perriand. Through subtraction and precision, the Giomein apartment clears away what time has made fragile, recomposes spatial coherence, and restores contemporary relevance to Galvagni's architecture. The landscape becomes not merely a view but a structural condition that influences ceiling slopes, light patterns, and furniture placement, integrating the Alpine environment into the daily life of the inhabitants and their art collection.