One of the most important works managed by Sice Previt is certainly the construction of the Apple Store in Piazza Liberty in Milan, completed in 2018. In the heart of the city centre, the construction of the flagship shop of the well-known brand has entailed a major change for the entire square, which has been extensively reconfigured by Foster+Partners’ project. By locating the flagship store below the level of the square, the studio has found a way to make the large spaces of the shop coexist with the preservation of the public space.
As general contractor of the site, Sice Previt designed and carried out a series of complex and delicate works – from the excavations to the realisation of the structural works, up to the laying of the glass lantern and the paving of the square. Due to the great complexity of the design, one of the most significant works from an engineering point of view has certainly been the construction of the nowadays iconic monumental staircase leading from the entrance of the shop (located a few metres below the level of the square, at the bottom of the steps that act as an ‘amphitheatre’ to the store) to its main space, located in the basement.
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In line with the rest of the project, which succeeded in bringing lightness and lightness to an underground space, the staircase is at first sight extremely essential, but in reality conceals considerable structural complexity. It is composed of cantilevered steps, i.e. fixed to the supporting wall on one side only, thanks to a single, large walled beam. The shape of these steps is also absolutely peculiar: flat on the upper side, they have a strong curvature on the lower side, which gives them a tapered shape that helps their stability and contributes to the elegance of the whole.
Both the steps and the handrails on the two sides of the staircase are the result of complex static studies, aimed in particular at limiting vibrations, even in the case of an intense passage of people. The design of the handrail on the right required a particularly complex study, as this is grafted onto stone in the upper part of the staircase and onto glass in the lower part; it was therefore necessary to take into account the different properties and reactions to stress of the two materials. The solution finally chosen for the stability of the structure involved the use of special hooks to connect the handrail to the walls, equipped with special internal systems to manage the vibration caused by people walking up and down, containing it.
Again, this was a project in which Sice Previt was able to make concrete what had been imagined on paper, through rigorous and creative engineering work and adaptation to the available processing technologies.
