Casa Ugazio Quaroni, a wonderful example of Novarese Art Nouveau architecture, was built for Ernesto Ugazio between 1905 and 1907 by the engineer Mario Rosina, a relative of Otto Wagner, who studied in Bonn and had Viennese acquaintances.
Built on the site of an existing building, it has a C-shaped plan with two storeys connected by a spiral staircase, typical of the projects by Rosina. The staircase was built in the decorative vocabulary of Art Nouveau, dominated by a large Horta-inspired window embellished with very fine floral decoration, which characterises the façade together with the stringcourses and the crowning cymatium.
The doors and main entrances are refined by rose bouquet floral friezes, used with greater frequency on the rear façade on Via Santa Chiara.
The theme of roses, which echoes the name of the designer, was later repeated by Rosina in other projects, including Casa della Piana in Corso della Vittoria, 14.
Art Nouveau decoration is also featured on the interior surfaces, with floral stuccowork on the ceilings and an ornate wrought iron balustrade on the spiral staircase.
