The Vittorio Emanuele II arcade has always been considered Milan’s lounge, connecting Piazza Duomo with the Scala Theater, and is one of the most famous examples of European iron architecture because it represents the archetype of the 19th century commercial arcade.
The intervention was characterized by the structural consolidation of an arch underneath the terrace near Piazza Duomo, made necessary due to the presence of cracks along the longitudinal surface. The intervention included the removal of the flooring, and other operations carried out with the aid of steel sections anchored by holes to the supporting masonry. In an adjacent building a whole stairway was restored, owing to previous inappropriate interventions which had only partially damaged it.
The old stair treads and risers were rebuilt, the walls were repainted in their original colors, and all the pre-existing doors were restored.
Finally, a completely glass elevator shaft was built.
All the inside works were projected in such a way to create better professional and working spaces, and so, even the brick partition walls were demolished.
The flooring was inspected and rebuilt with interventions even on the underlying wooden, iron and reinforced concrete structure; the watertight sheathing was also reconstructed. All the ironwork necessary for the ordinary maintenance of the vaults were arranged over the glass covering of the Arcade.
Conservation restoration works were carried out on the façade surface and on its coverings facing Piazza Duomo, with specific procedures and working cycles agreed upon and authorized, such as low pressure sandblasting, ammonium carbonate applications, grouting, restoration and repair of ornamental friezes, on the parts in stone and/or concrete, and cleaning of the copper gutter.
SCHEDA LAVORO
