This factory conversion in Milan turned a disused industrial building at Via Collegno 7, in the Dergano district, into Residenza Dergano: 16 apartments over four floors for medium-term rentals. arcHITects designed the renovation and the furnishing of every unit and of the common spaces, with one rule behind the whole project: no two apartments are the same.

Digging down to gain a floor

The decisive move was underground. A major excavation opened the courtyard down to basement level and created a new stepped staircase in stone, which became the main access to the building. The lower floor, which in Milan would usually be dark storage, now faces a sunken garden with a magnolia at its centre. The basement turned into apartments with light, air and their own outdoor space, and it also holds a gym shared by all residents.

Sixteen apartments, sixteen characters

All the units share the same quality of finishes, and each one is built around a feature of its own. On the ground floor the old factory’s ceiling heights made room for mezzanines: light steel structures that hold the sleeping area above and leave the full floor below for living, cooking and eating. Other units have exposed timber ceilings, a particular view over the courtyard or a different layout and palette. For a tenant choosing where to spend several months in Milan, this means picking a home with its own identity rather than a standard room in a series.

Shared spaces and terraces

The common areas are coded by colour. Yellow glass fins mark the entrance from the courtyard, the corridors have green ceilings, and the stairwell is washed in violet with a neon light piece that guides the climb. Outdoor space is part of the offer at every level: several apartments have a private terrace, and a shared terrace is open to all residents, alongside the courtyard garden and the gym.

Designed for medium-term living

Tenants here stay for months, so every choice was tested against daily use: durable porcelain floors, full kitchens, built-in storage and furniture that is easy to replace. The owner receives a building where the 16 units, each different, still share one set of materials and suppliers, which keeps maintenance simple and operating costs predictable.

Centralised building systems

The renovation also replaced all the building systems. arcHITects designed new installations with centralised management, so that energy use across the 16 apartments and the common areas is controlled from a single point. For the owner this means lower running costs and simpler maintenance. For tenants it means consistent comfort in every unit through the year.

The factory conversion in Milan of Residenza Dergano shows how arcHITects turns industrial buildings into homes that work as an investment. See more of our homes in Residential, our work on rental apartment design, and the studio.

Design: HIT arcHITects – Piantini