Herholdt Controls

Project for the extension and renovation of Herholdt Controls Srl headquarters – Milan

The project for the extension and upgrading of the headquarters of the company Herholdt Controls Srl was developed over a two-year period, from 2022 to 2024. It was organized in two phases of execution in order to ensure the company’s production and working continuity.

The building, an industrial shed located in via Mestre in Milan, is rectangular in shape and occupies an area of about 1,300 m2. It is made up of two distinct functional areas, dedicated to production and offices. They are adjacent and connected, with a large loft surface that was removed to create full-height interior spaces characterized by two rows of perimeter windows and exposed structural elements and installations.

The first phase involved the construction of new laboratories with adjoining changing rooms, the reorganization of the storage area and the renovation of some auxiliary spaces such as the data center, reception, break area and toilet and washroom facilities.

Within a space about 6.5 meters high, industrial in character with cement flooring, it was chosen to exploit the possibility of larger capacity for the storage area by introducing self-supporting units for control functions, with blind and glass walls, and installing a raised floor with an anti-static finish and an understructure allowing for the upper closure of the various laboratories and installation of suspended ceilings with modular elements.

The second phase involved the restyling of the offices, occupying about 350 m2, with a height of about 5.7 m, suspended ceilings, but again with exposed installations. In addition to a large open space with about 22 workstations, there is a showroom, research and development lab, meeting room and the CEO’s office. The interior subdivisions were achieved with drywall systems, with suitable reinforcement frames along the continuous glass walls delimiting the representation areas. The floors are raised, with a stoneware finish, and the color of the ceilings and suspended elements is black, alternating with the white of some walls; sound-absorbing elements were provided for the open workstations, whereas in the meeting room and in the closed office the height of the space is interrupted by “hoods” built with custom-made wood acoustic panels, painted black. Along the longitudinal wall dividing the two functional areas, plasterboard niches have been created to incorporate a portion of the loft that was not demolished and create an ample storage space.  

The final appearance resulting from the whole project is homogeneous and meets the client’s need to revamp the physical spaces to make them consistent with the company’s founding philosophy, based on continuous product research and development, through a modern and innovative architectural image and the use of better performing, energy-efficient electrical and mechanical installations.