The hotel’s interior design and rebranding were developed by the Italian architecture and design studio Il Prisma. Greg Saakashvili, Lead Designer at ROOM DESIGN STUDIO and a HORECA specialist, was specially invited to contribute to the project’s conceptual design direction. His professional approach combines functional spatial planning, guest experience, material selection and considered lighting strategies.
The Dual Soul — Two Characters, One Experience
The hotel’s central concept, The Dual Soul, brings together contrasting yet complementary identities: business and leisure, historic heritage and contemporary urban culture, understated elegance and unexpected design accents.
Originally built for office use in 1958, the building’s history and location between Porta Nuova and Milano Centrale became important sources of inspiration for the interior concept. Railway references and industrial motifs reinterpret the past through a contemporary design language.
Space, Colour and Light
Grigol Saakashvili’s conceptual design direction focused on the harmonious integration of warm minimalism, layered lighting, contemporary materials and carefully considered spatial zoning. Particular emphasis was placed on creating an environment that balances functional comfort, social interaction and a memorable emotional experience.
The hotel’s 239 guest rooms and suites feature expressive colours, vintage photography and unexpected, playful details. Public areas, including Duo Café, Duo Bistrot and the courtyard, offer versatile settings for work, meetings, relaxation and social interaction.
Materials, metallic accents, textures and lighting work together to establish a coherent visual identity that reinforces the hotel’s individual character and its connection to Milan’s urban context.
From Design to Guest Experience
Duo Milan Porta Nuova demonstrates that contemporary HORECA design extends beyond aesthetics. A successful hospitality environment brings together architectural identity, functionality and the guest experience.
Through Grigol Saakashvili’s contribution to the conceptual design direction, in collaboration with Il Prisma, the project brings together hospitality-focused thinking, considered spatial organisation and contemporary interior design principles.
ROOM DESIGN STUDIO — From Concept to Experience.