Listed properties
Restoring period homes in the old town
I also specialize in the restoration and recovery of historic properties. This work involves a lot of delicacy and understanding of the artefacts, which must be restored to their original beauty without altering their characteristics.
What can be touched and what cannot
A constraint doesn't block everything: it protects specific things. Normally it is the elevations, that is, how the building appears from the outside, and the internal architectural elements that tell the story of its era: niches, stuccos, vaults, frames. The first step is therefore to understand exactly what is protected and what is not. From there the project is built around those elements rather than against, and almost always comes out more interesting than one that started from a blank page.
The practices with the Soprintendenza (Italian heritage authority)
When the property is restricted, the municipal building permit is not enough: authorization from the protection body is also needed, which must be requested before starting and must be documented with specific documents. I take care of it, from the initial verification of the existence of the constraint to the presentation. It's the part that scares those who have just bought the most, and it's also the part where moving well at the beginning saves months.
Working on light, when you cannot work on matter
The constraint forces you to change instruments, not to give up. In a house in the historic center of Gallipoli the stucco niches could not be touched: they were cleaned and whitewashed, so that the design could be read by light and shadow instead of colour. The element remains what it was, but it looks better than before. A historic building is often designed like this: with light, with contrasts of materials, with what you choose to leave exposed.
Ancient and contemporary, without pretending
Recovering does not mean reconstructing an era. A linear white kitchen under a lowered vault works precisely because it is clearly of today and does not imitate anything. The new parts are recognized as new, the old ones remain legible: it is the most respectful way to intervene, and also what makes the house truly livable instead of museum-like.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Authorization from the protection body is required in addition to the municipal building permit, and must be obtained before opening the construction site. We start by checking what type of constraint affects the property, because they are not all the same. Then the required documents are prepared and the application is presented. I'll take care of it entirely.
It depends on the specific constraint. Generally, the elevations and architectural elements that tell the story of the building's era remain untouchable: niches, stuccos, vaults. Systems, finishes and internal distribution usually have more margin, but this must be verified on a case-by-case basis before making plans. Verification is the first thing I do.
It is almost always worth recovering, and not just because of the constraint. Stucco, stone walls and original floors are the reason why that house is worth it: redoing them from scratch costs more and returns a copy. The criterion is what is recoverable and what is truly compromised, and this is understood with a site visit.
From the urban planning verification and the existence of any constraints, before any design. It is this that establishes what can really be done, and knowing from the start what is protected avoids falling for impractical solutions. Only then does it make sense to talk about distribution, finishes and budget.
First step
Let's start with a site visit
Raccontami cosa hai in mente e discutiamone insieme: un primo sopralluogo è il modo migliore per capire come dare forma al tuo progetto.