The renovation of a 1950s apartment in Rome as a theatrical behind the scenes

La Macchina Studio adds blue arches and yellow accents to this apartment: geometrical shapes that seem to belong to a theatrical set meet pre-existing elements in a combination of materials and colours.

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena

Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena

Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena

Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena

Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena

Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena

Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena

Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena

Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena

Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena

Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena

Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena

Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena

Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena

Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena

Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena

Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena

Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena

Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena

Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena

Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena

Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena

Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena Floor plan. 

© La Macchina Studio

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena Bathroom.

© La Macchina Studio

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena Bedroom.

© La Macchina Studio

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena Cinema, Living.

© La Macchina Studio

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena Wall.

© La Macchina Studio

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena Flooring.

© La Macchina Studio

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena Living.

© La Macchina Studio

La Macchina Studio renovates an apartment from the 1950s located in the Appio Latino district of Rome, maintaining some of the existing features and at the same time proposing a new design language. The multidisciplinary approach of the Roman studio, that combines architecture, theatre, music and illustration in its projects, emerges in Retroscena’s interiors: the geometric, almost graphic forms, inserted into the space and reinforced by a strong use of colour, define an ambience resembling  theatrical setting. 

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena. Photo Paolo Fusco

The decision to maintain the original Venetian terrazzo flooring required the inclusion of new materials, from black marble to brick red microcement, in the points where the partition walls were demolished, thus creating a material and chromatic collage on the floor.

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena. Photo Paolo Fusco

The space, distributed longitudinally over 75 square metres, includes in the new distribution a living and a dining area that can be separated by yellow curtains: these colorful details slide along the demolished partition, giving the possibility to quickly transform the space. A blue arched passageway, in contrast with the white walls and 70 cm out towards the dining room, leads to the bedroom and becomes a visual reference in the house.

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena. Photo Paolo Fusco

The bathroom opens onto the corridor through a almost hidden flush door: inside, a mosaic made of small white tiles covers the wall recalling the grid of a squared sheet, while an ogival passage represents the access to the toilet. 

  • Retroscena
  • Quartiere Appio Latino, Rome, Italy
  • Private apartment
  • La Macchina Studio (Gianni Puri, Enrica Siracusa)
  • La Macchina Studio
  • 75 sqm
  • 2020
La Macchina Studio, Retroscena Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena Photo Paolo Fusco

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena © La Macchina Studio

Floor plan. 

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena © La Macchina Studio

Bathroom.

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena © La Macchina Studio

Bedroom.

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena © La Macchina Studio

Cinema, Living.

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena © La Macchina Studio

Wall.

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena © La Macchina Studio

Flooring.

La Macchina Studio, Retroscena © La Macchina Studio

Living.