A pleasant wait

Location: Rome
Area: 10 Smq
Client: Public Administration
Project time: 2019

We are accustomed to seeing waiting rooms that are aseptic, characterless, and furnished with design elements arranged haphazardly, without any real design intent. For this reason, we presented the client with several proposals, each defined by its own theme and style, yet all sharing the same attention to carefully selected furnishings arranged to enhance an environment that would otherwise be devoid of value.
The property is located in the Castro Pretorio district of Rome, a stone’s throw from Termini station, a major hub for urban and extra-urban transport. The building dates back to the first half of the 20th century and reflects the architectural language of the period; today, it houses an important institutional body.

The intervention focused on reorganising a waiting area that runs along a corridor, originally conceived as a residual space between various offices. Three design proposals were developed, linked by a common architectural element: a screen. The proposals differ in the furnishings selected and in the chromatic treatment of the walls.

The screen was conceived as a separation element from the corridor, limiting visibility into the waiting area while maintaining permeability. It is composed of horizontally arranged wooden slats in “oak” finish; their deliberate spacing creates a play of shapes on the adjacent wall. The project preserved the original 1950s Venetian terrazzo flooring.

The first proposal has a more “classic” feel, with modern, formal furnishings aligned with the architectural style of the building’s construction period. The selected pieces include Le Corbusier’s “LC2” sofa, Mies van der Rohe’s “Barcelona” pouf and the coffee table designed by Eileen Gray.

The second proposal features a blend of contemporary design elements in bold colours, without neglecting classic references. The chosen furnishings have softer, more sinuous lines, creating a modern yet comfortable and formal atmosphere, appropriate for the building’s role as a place of institutional representation.

The third proposal is conceived to be more “dynamic”: we envisaged seating and small tables in metal with varying finishes and colours, allowing for flexible layouts. The furnishings are colourful and softly shaped to give the space an informal and calming character.