First impressions are sometimes all that matters, something that Italian architects seem to know very well. The new book Ingressi di Milano by Karl Kolbitz and Taschen is a luscious documentation of how Milanese entryways stand as fine examples of midcentury modernism, also using colour, form and design to generate emotional responses and a dramatic sense of arrival. The 384-page tome features photography by Matthew Billings, Delfino Sisto Legnani and Paola Pansini, who took photos of the finest ingressi and captured their architectural beauty as well as their timeless allure. No less than 144 entryways have been documented, and presented with photos of their overall design as well as details of their materials and decor elements — the latter including artworks, door handles, rare stones and other details that reveal how much thought and effort has been put into designing these spaces. What strikes us is that the pomp and meticulousness of these ingressi comes in contrast with their function as transitory spaces, where in fact one never lingers but simply passes through momentarily to either enter or exit.