Via Santa Margherita 11, Milano

Project Description

Located in the vibrant historic and financial centre of Milan, the “Scrigno” building benefits from the excellent visibility offered by Via Santa Margherita, between Piazza della Scala and Piazza Cordusio, as well as from the exclusive business-oriented character of Piazza Ferrari. “Scrigno” enhances the area, restoring the sober and elegant original beauty of its renovated façade.

The harmony between historical heritage and contemporary design comes together in a single architectural concept, capable of interacting with the surrounding historic context.

Tekser was responsible for the building services design and the Specialist Works Supervision for Building Services, supporting the General Works Supervision throughout all phases, up to the final fit-out for Zurich Bank. Our sustainability team also provided sustainability consulting services for the achievement of WELL, LEED Platinum and BREEAM Very Good certifications.

The building is arranged over seven above-ground floors and three basement levels. For these areas, a complex integrated building services system was designed, aimed at energy efficiency and maximum occupant comfort.

Mechanical Systems

The generation of heat transfer fluids follows a differentiated strategy: for the office floors from the first to the fifth, an advanced water-cooled variable refrigerant volume system — VRV/VRF — is used, while in the basement levels and technical rooms, heating and cooling production is provided by heat pumps using groundwater as a source.

This thermal energy is then distributed through versatile terminals, such as concealed ceiling-mounted or ducted VRV indoor units, which introduce air into the rooms through high-induction linear or swirl diffusers, designed to ensure optimal and quiet air mixing.

Primary air renewal is managed by cross-flow heat recovery units which, especially in the basement levels, are equipped with hydronic coils powered by dedicated heat pumps to control both temperature and humidity with a high degree of precision.

Among the building’s most significant technological features is the adoption of a Water Mist fire protection system, which uses high-pressure water mist to extinguish fires with a minimal amount of water, thereby protecting assets and electronic equipment from the damage typically associated with traditional systems.

Plumbing and Sanitary Systems

As regards the plumbing and sanitary systems, domestic hot water is generated efficiently through dedicated wall-mounted heat pumps.

Internal distribution to the various fixtures is organised through a manifold system housed in recessed wall boxes, allowing independent management of each point of use.

The terminals include wall-hung sanitary fixtures with concealed flushing cisterns, served by multilayer PE-Xc/AL/PE-Xc pipes, ensuring high standards of hygiene and resistance.

Electrical and Special Systems

The electrical and special systems form the building’s energy and control infrastructure, with Medium Voltage supply for the common areas and Low Voltage supply for the offices.

Distribution is carried out through fire-retardant rubber-insulated cables, installed in metal cable trays and prefabricated trunking systems.

Operational continuity is ensured by UPS uninterruptible power supply units for critical systems, supported by a photovoltaic system for the integration of renewable energy.

The coordination of the entire system is managed by the BACS — Building Automation Control System — a supervision software that intelligently controls lighting, air conditioning and energy consumption monitoring according to occupancy and natural light levels.