ITALIAN EMBASSY

Singapore

As part of its holistic design philosophy, MDL has strived to achieve a sort of harmony between the exterior and interior elements of its designs, aiming to make them complement rather than compete. As such, MDL views the two not as different disciplines, but a unified solution to a client’s specifications.

One such exception is MDL’s proposal for the Italian Embassy in Singapore. As a minor project with an equally small-scale budget, it is still one of importance due to MDL’s Italian roots, with one of MDL’s offices located within Rome itself. Thus, MDL was compelled to develop an interesting design solution: One wall is decorated by a blown-up drawing of the Roman Forums overlooking the Temple of Venus—all the way down to the Colosseum—created by Massimo Mercurio’s father, Alfonso. This element aims to encapsulate the essence of Italian culture, embracing its millennia of rich culture and history as a legacy that endures to this day.

Across this wall is a cut-out map of Italy embedded into a wooden finish, highlighting the uniquely boot-like shape of the country, its location in the Mediterranean Sea, and its significance as the enduring centrepiece—and origin point—of the world’s greatest empires and civilisations, none of which would have happened had Italy been shaped or located in any other way. Overall, this design serves as a stark reminder of the symbology of the Italian nation’s heritage, expressed in a simple yet striking manner.