Rua Da Verónica 16
Milan Design Week
School Complex
Van der Ploeg House
Serial Beauty
Eco Village
Milan Design Week
Affacci Milanesi
Erasmus
Thesis
Built
Masters
Design Week
Terrazzo was originally conceived as a way to use up discarded marble chips and aggregates. Terracycle is a project that started with the idea of upcycling terazzo itself in order to continue the cycle into a endless circular process. The prototypes are a chaise longue and an accompanying coffee table. The design process had to consider three important factors: the technical possibilities of working the material, its mechanical properties and the weight. They were designed with a curvy and soft, but at points rigid, geometry in mind, to create a perception of a heavy, stone-like material in an unusual form. The fluidity of the lines breaks the weight of the terazzo, forming sculpture-like furnitures of stone. The curviness is checked through the intervention of straight lines to settle on a more appropriate language.
The objects are exhibited openly, so that anyone can sit, touch, and experience the durability of a totally recycleable indoor and outdoor furniture. The chaise longue was chosen as the main typology because of its sculptural properties, which were thought to display the material at its best quality. It speaks a language made up of curves, but it is wellgrounded at the points where it touches the ground. Its large surface area acts as a large canvas to showcase the rich texture of the material. A natural companion to the chaise longue is the coffee table. It is designed to be light enough to be transported with ease. The curved surface at the top is crafted to be suitable for a book or a magazine, while the hollowed-out bottom provides space for storage, saving weight at the same time.
Milan Design Week x Politecnico 2023 - Company: Agglotech - Prof. Andrea Tartaglia
Group: Costanza Franco, Sarp Tascioglu, Diana Nakhodkina
The production and the assembly of the furniture were made in the Agglotech workshop in Verona. Agglotech is a Veronese company specializing in the production of architectural terazzo. Legend has it that terazzo first became a thing when quarry workers took offcuts of marble home for use on their own floors. The offcuts were set into mortar and, just like that, terazzo was born. At Agglotech today, terazzo essentially still is made following this traditional method established 600 years ago. The addition of industrial production methods and refined polishing techniques brought the benefit of bespoke coloring and a wide range of flexibility in dimensions and size. The terrazzo used to make the furniture has been produced using ground terrazzo scraps. The scraps were reused scraps from the Agglotech factory. The furniture were cut from a block of terazzo using a numerically controlled diamond wire. Finally, the surface was smoothed by hand. The furniture designed for Agglotech stand to expand the horizons of what can be made through unconventional uses of architectural terazzo. More importantly, the project does not only stand s a testament of the diverse use of terazzo and its suitability or a variety of different production, it also stands as an important example of the possibilities of upcycling. In a world where sustainability is becoming more than just a slogan, these furniture represent oncrete examples of sustainable, value-added objects which not only offset the costs assosiated with the waste product, but help to extract value from it. By using terrazzo in upcycling projects, we can create beautiful and functional items while also reducing waste and helping the environment. Terrazzo’s durability and versatility makes it an ideal material for upcycling.
The building places itself as a continuation of the surrounding facades. It develops along the slope of Rua da Veronica in Lisbon, placing the entrances in strategic points. The main entrance creates a clear visual axis towards the internal courtyard, characterised by a wild garden of Portuguese perennials. The project aims to provide affordable housing to low income citizens, which are offered with a variety of apartement typologies to satisfy residents with differen ages and needs, such as families, elderly, and students. My contribution to the project consists of masterplan, plan layout, 3d model, renders, elevations, sections, structural detail.
Social Housing - Lisbon, Portugal -Master - A.Y. 2022/2023 - Architectural Design Studio
Prof. Da Silva Ferreira De Carvalho Antonio, Prof. Ranci Ortigosa Costanzo
Group: Costanza Franco, Alessia Gigola, Marco Geatti
Softwares: AutoCAD - Rhinoceros - Vray - Illustrator - Photoshop
VISUALIZATION OF THE PHARMACY
VISUALIZATION OF THE INTERNAL COURTYARD FACADE
VISUALIZATION OF THE DUPLEX APARTMENT
School Complex
The complex is designed to be an enlargement of the high school “A. Cesari” in Casalpusterlengo, a town south of Milan. It consists of a school, a dormitory, and an exhibition hall, interlaced by a public park that develops throughout the whole site. The buildings are placed in order to define different thematic urban piazzas. The enlargement of the school follows the inclination of the existing building to enclose a space only accessible by students and teachers. The dormitory hides the parking lot at the end of the site, and trees create a barrier that provides privacy to the adjacent houses. My contribution to the project consists of plan layout, structural details, systems plans.
School Enlargement and Student Housing - Casalpusterlengo, MI - Master - A.Y. 2022/2023
Construction Design Studio - Prof. Andrea Tartaglia, Prof. Giovanni Muciaccia Group: Costanza Franco, Jordan Lo Vecchio, Michele Vignotti, Sarp Tascioglu
Softwares: AutoCAD - Rhinoceros - Vray - Illustrator - Photoshop
The project consists of the remodeling of the interiors of a family mountain house, designed by Rudolf Olgiati in 1966 and located in Laax, Switzerland. The original layout of the ground floor was mainly open, except for the entrance with the staircase and the service bathroom. We tried to define the spaces through a central distribution area, which required moving the staircase to a corner. This helped with the layout of the upper level given the very limited height, it was useful having the staircase and other services located in the lower areas. The number of bedrooms was kept the same, with the addition of a master bathroom in the center of the plan, which we used to define the cladding materials of the corridor. Furthermore, to enhance the living room area, on which we created a double-height space. Everything was done in collaboration with my groupmate.
Redesign of Interior Layout - Van der Ploeg House by Rudollf Olgiati - Laax, Switzerland
Master - A.Y. 2022/2023 - Interior Design Studio - Prof. De Giorgi Emanuele Raimondo
Group: Costanza Franco, Sarp Tascioglu
Softwares: AutoCAD, Rhinoceros, Vray, Illustrator, Photoshop
Serial Beauty is an exhibition that explores the concept of serializing beauty through a compelling dialogue between classical and ancient statuary and mid-20th-century design objects. By juxtaposing these distinct artistic expressions, the project highlights the unique identifying aspects of each piece, fostering a conversation across time and mediums. For instance, the Doryphoros is placed in direct alignment with the iconic Wassily Chair, encouraging viewers to reflect on the focal points of beauty and the inherent narcissism of the statue.
This careful curation emphasizes how classical ideals of proportion and grace resonate, contrast, and even merge with the industrial and functional elegance of modernist design. Through such pairings, Serial Beauty invites the audience to reconsider the evolution of aesthetic values, revealing the shared and divergent narratives of beauty that continue to shape our cultural and artistic heritage.
My contribution to the project consists of plan, axonometric diagrams and the second render.
Allestimento di una Mostra - Basilica Palladiana, Vicenza
A.Y. 2023/2024 - Progettazione di Grandi
Mostre e Musealizzazioni - Prof. Caliari Pier Federico Paolo
Group: Arianna Spina, Costanza Franco, Nicole Llavda Softwares: AutoCAD, Rhinoceros, Vray, Illustrator, Photoshop
1. Discobolo - Parentesi
2. Lacoonte
3. Lari and Penati - La Cupola and La Conica
4. Antinoo - Arco
5. Columns - Olivetti
6. Doriforo - Wassily Chair
7. Kore and Kourus - Radio Cubo
8. Poisedone da Artemision - Veliero
Inspired by seasonal rhythms and bird migration patterns, the village features adaptable housing units with enclosed spaces for winter and open areas for summer. Elevated structures minimize environmental impact while offering stunning views of the surroundings. The community includes permanent residents, such as researchers and caretakers, alongside temporary inhabitants like families and students who bring seasonal energy to the village. Local, sustainable materials—timber, Pyrenean granite, and repurposed fishing nets—highlight the project’s environmental commitment. A network of platforms and pipes manages water resources and integrates with nature. Public spaces, located at the southern entrance, include a market square, gardens, a greenhouse, and a laboratory, while the northern entrance leads to private, elevated houses. A distinctive fog-collecting tower doubles as a meditation space. This project exemplifies how sustainable communities can thrive in harmony with the environment, fostering a deep connection between humanity and the natural world. My contribution to the project consists of plans, diagrams and renders.
Loons (Arctic and Red-throated), Great Crested Grebes, Shearwaters (Balearic and Mediterranean), Dunlin, Ducks (Mallards, Common Teals), Greylag Geese, Common Kestrels, Pipit
Passerines, Plovers, Ducks (Mallards, Common Teals), Greylag Geese, Common Kestrels, Pipit
Shearwater, Cormorants, Purple Herons, Egrets, White storks, Greater Flamingos, Ducks, Crakes, Sandpipers, Owls, Kestrels, Eurasian Curlew, Snipes
Insects, Horses, Various
Project for a competition - Eco village - Empordà wetlands, Spain
- A.Y. 2023/2024 - Advanced Architectural Design
1 - Prof. Andreea Marcu Group: Costanza Franco, Kwasi Adjavon, Emille Tatton Softwares: AutoCAD, Rhinoceros, Vray, Illustrator, Photoshop
SITE ANALYSIS
NESTS
AXONOMETRY OF THE DWELLINGS
Recognizing the sturdy nature of Terrazzo the project Costellazioni di Giunti aims to contest the material’s prevalent characteristics by offering a design resolution embedded in flexibility, fluidity and playfulness. Having drawn inspiration from the brilliant pieces of Angelo Mangiarotti, a set of ten differing terrazzo elements was developed. The main joints resembling a four-pointed star together with the elongated components of varying lengths, as well as all their eccentric derivatives present an opportunity to form a rich assortment of diverse, yet relating furniture. Whether it is a bookshelf or desk, table or stool, the particular design of each piece emerged from notions of comfort, structural stability, and, rather evidently, visual prominence. As a result of the technical constraints and possibilities the soft language that describes every tip and crevasse of each element fosters a more gentle user experience. Furthermore, AGGLOTECH’s vibrant and contrasting palette of greens, reds, yellows and greys along with the simple principle of a dry-joint allows endless configurations/ constellations according to any taste and necessity.
My contribution to the project consists of plans, diagrams and renders.
Milan Design Week x Politecnico 2024 - Company: Agglotech - Prof. Andrea Tartaglia Group: Costanza Franco, Jekabs Barzdins, Philippe Chapuy, Sarp Tascioglu
In a world increasingly dominated by the International style, post-war Milanese architecture held a unique place amongst its peers, adopting the new methods of the modern world, while not losing touch with its context and Milanese character.
In addition to the iconic buildings produced through the skillful architects of the period, a common language was established, which came to design the aesthetics of the city. While extensive research has explored this architectural landscape, our focus is on understanding the levels of depth and complexity that these buildings possess, showcased in their unique details. We have chosen to scrutinize the openings and their integrated elements (railings, shutters, cornices, frames), since within them lie part of the peculiar aspects and details that are common in the architecture of the period.
This paper aims to evaluate these elements, defining typologies, proportions, and recurring motifs, culminating in a detailed catalogue aimed at fostering a deeper appreciation of Milan’s architectural heritage. Our selection of case studies will be guided by a set of parameters, time frame (1945-75), location (Milan), complexity of details, availability of research materials, and personal preferences. The study will be carried out through textual descriptions, drawings, and pictures. Ultimately, our aim is to categorize and synthesize our findings, offering a structured exploration of Milanese postwar architecture that sheds light on its diverse nuances and contributions to the architectural discourse.
Master’s Thesis
Prof. Orsina Simona Pierini; Co-supervisor: Joseph Rigo Group: Costanza Franco, Sarp Tascioglu
METAL RAILINGSPARAPETTI IN METALLO
1. Corso Monforte 9
2. Via Passerella 4
3. Corso Europa 11
4. Piazza S. Stefano 5
5. Via Fieno 3
6. Piazza Bertarelli 2
7. Vicolo S. M. della Porta 1
8. Vicolo S. M. della Porta 1
9. Via S. Simpliciano 6
10. P.le di Porta Lodovica 3
11. Vicolo S. M. della Porta 1
12. Via Paolo Giovio 41
13. Piazza Carbonari 3
14. Via Mazzini 12
15. Via Pantano 8
16. Via San Vito 18
17. Via Mauro Macchi 42
18. Via S. Gregorio 3
19. Via Visconti di Modrone 26
Letter of Recommendation for Costanza Franco.
As the lead architect at Alessandra Urbertazzi – Studio di Architettura, I have had the pleasure of working closely with Costanza between February and June 2023. Through this letter I want to express my appreciation for her ability to quickly get into the tasks and the working group. During her internship, Costanza mainly worked with interior design renovations, and a new construction of a cluster of villas. She mainly worked in Autocad and Rhino. The assignments included site visits, mapping of the sites, building permit drawings and layout plans. I want to emphasize Costanza’s enthusiasm and her ability to swiftly grasp tasks. She demonstrates great accuracy in her drawings while also possessing an innate sense of prioritizing essential components and details. In addition, Costanza is really sociable and it was a plasure to have her in our team.
I am convinced that Costanza, in any work environment, will swiftly excel in her role and prove to be a valuable addition to the team, thanks to her knowledge and personality, becoming a great asset to the offi ce. Therefore, it is my pleasure to give her my best recommendation. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Best regards,
+39.328.9732657
+39.02.89407423 www.alessandraubertazzi.eu
Alessandra Ubertazzi architetto
Studio Ubertazzi via Valparaiso 3, 20144 Milano
Thank you for your time. costanzabenedetta.franco@gmail.com