Conor Mulvenna is an architect from Belfast who moved to Milan after marrying his Italian wife, also an architect. Together they founded Rinova Projects, to assist buyers with refurbishment projects, both contemporary apartment refurbishments in the city and house refurbishments in the countryside.

“I find old buildings irresistible,” says Mr. Mulvenna, who, prior to opening his own business, worked on large scale commercial projects, one of which involved restoring an old castle and hilltop town in Tuscany, along with designing new buildings, using the local vernacular language. “I am fascinated by the stories that old buildings tell and love the rich diversity of typologies and vernacular dialects that have developed in the different regions of Italy.”