The new Travaglini offices in Cinisello Balsamo blends industrial character and bespoke planning, where material and light speak of a company oriented to technology and the care of people.
Travaglini writes a new chapter inside the former Amilcare Pizzi complex in Cinisello Balsamo. The production building preserves the large reinforced-concrete vaults, a true construction heritage that conveys stature and character. Beside it, the office block undergoes a deep transformation that rethinks façade and outdoor areas to present a clear image of solidity and technological vision.
Travaglini, a company operating in high-technology machinery for food drying, sought a headquarters able to express its values, reliability and closeness to clients and teams. The result unfolds over four floors and stems from the joint work of architect Michele Spreafico and Level Office Landscape, involved from the outset to translate the company’s needs into functional spatial choices and contemporary furnishings.
The Travaglini Welcome Area
The ground-floor entrance impresses with its vertical reach. Full-height walnut slats rise for seven meters and lead the eye upward, a warm backdrop that greets visitors. The waiting area features comfortable pieces with a domestic feel, designed to put guests and colleagues at ease. The custom reception desk in matte black Fenix converses with the walnut-finish cabinetry behind it, setting up a dialogue between velvety surfaces and wood grain.
Workspaces With Variable Geometry
Operational floors across the building combine open spaces and private offices. Level glazed partition walls with black-painted profiles draw light frames that favor visual continuity and acoustic control. Framed aluminum doors, both hinged and sliding, maintain coherence and streamline circulation. Desking adopts the Flat system with black-painted legs and walnut tops. Paired with tall Cross Storage cabinets, it ensures order and generous filing, while low white units placed between two- and four-seat benches create micro functional zones.
Ergonomics and Identity in Travaglini’s Custom-Made Headquarters
Today’s pace of work calls for comfort. Acoustic fabric desk screens provide privacy and support the sound quality of open spaces. Their vivid red recalls the company palette and animates the interior landscape with a clear sign. Ergonomic setups, material quality, the balance between metal components and warm surfaces build an atmosphere that welcomes and supports daily routines.
The Executive Floor
The second floor hosts executive spaces and a waiting area that recalls a home lounge. Measured proportions, soft textiles and filtered light through the glazing enhance conversation. A custom walnut kitchen completes the setting, ideal for informal moments and hospitality. The whole conveys a contemporary elegance and echoes the company’s family story, with a language that prioritizes material quality and essential clarity.
Flexible Meeting Rooms at Travaglini
Meetings often ask for different scenarios. Flexio operable walls in total black allow quick reconfiguration, alternating intimate rooms and larger spaces. Technology works with practicality and makes the work of Travaglini’s teams more agile.
Comfort and Focus
In the operational areas there are two phone booths for calls or focus work, tasks that require greater visual and acoustic privacy. Their presence eases pressure on group zones and helps manage peaks of activity with ease. Travaglini affirms attention to employee wellbeing, a stance that fosters productivity and efficiency.
A Bridge Between Production and Offices
The link between production block and executive area remains constant. A physical bridge connects the two parts of the complex and enables immediate exchange among colleagues from different departments. The historic concrete vaults in the production area offer a powerful industrial backdrop, preserved as living memory of the site. The new office façade reflects the company identity, projecting a modern and technological image that remains rooted in history and tradition.
Materials and Details as a Design Language in Travaglini’s Custom-Made Headquarters
The project composes a clear grammar of contrasts. Full-height walnut at the entrance meets the matte Fenix of the reception, the glass of partitions meets the painted aluminum of frames, the white of low storage units draws bright pauses among wood surfaces. This vocabulary repeats consistently across the four floors and answers precise needs expressed during design development, from user flows to noise control, from daylight management to the enhancement of the industrial setting. The new headquarters unites the industrial soul of Travaglini and contemporary design, grounded in its past and oriented toward new goals.
Photo by Andrea Pancino