Factory Finish

Architect Mia Buzzi used unusual textures and bespoke design when she converted a derelict industrial unit into a warm and welcoming home

- Melanie Whitehouse/ Francesca Davoli

Until a decade ago, architect Mia Buzzi’s beautiful house was a deserted old concrete factory in downtown Milan. ‘When I first saw the property, it had been abandoned for 50 years,’ she says. ‘Although it was decaying, the beams, trusses, skylights, granite columns and some of the beautiful cast iron tie-rods were still intact.’ Many people would not have seen the attraction of this empty space, but Mia knew its potential. ‘It was the ideal spot for my long-held dream of a home with a real lawn, open-plan spaces and large windows,’ she says.