MATTEUCCI PALACE
COMPETITION OF IDEAS REDEVELOPMENT OF PART OF THE REAL ESTATE SITE IN VOLTERRA (PI)
Competition organised by the Cassa di Risparmio di Volterra
1° Classified
Project team:
1. Paolo Galantini
2. Marco Biondi
3. Angela Mazzurco
4. Anna Maria Ochalek
5. Martina Puggioni
6. Giada Silvaroli
7. Matteo Di Rosa
Preface - The project proposal deals with the redevelopment of a part of the Matteucci Palace, formerly home to the Cassa di Risparmio di Volterra. The building is located in the historical center of the city and enjoys a view over the Theatre. The analysis of the urban context and the rich artistic history of the territory of Volterra have led to the creation of a Boutique Art Hotel that fully embraces the vocation of the city.
Architectural project - Five rooms with an elegant and contemporary design, enriched by the original frescoes already present in the building, have been inserted into the spaces intended for the intervention. The high-quality furniture and unconventional architectural solutions enhance the historical context, transforming each room into a unique space.
The spaces also serve as an art gallery, with the possibility of hosting temporary exhibitions and offering a Bistrot accessible to visitors. The exhibitions will include works by international artists and local handicrafts, integrating art both as an exhibition and as a piece of furniture, to culturally engage guests.
On the ground floor there are entrance areas that signal the presence of the Hotel on Via dei Sarti, along with spaces for staff, technical rooms and luggage storage. The first floor, called "noble" floor, houses a variety of functions and is connected to the ground floor by an internal elevator and a marble staircase: an entrance area welcomes visitors to the gallery and the hotel’s customers, connecting to the central point connecting to the rooms, the external loggia and the other entrance corridor. This floor houses rooms, suites, bathrooms, kitchen, bistro and a multi-purpose room. The other floors are accessed via existing stairs, with the second floor dedicated to storage and administration spaces and the third floor hosting an attic suite.
Restoration project - The redevelopment project pays great attention to the preservation of its historical memory. The frescoes and drywall paintings will be preserved and possibly protected, with minimal cleaning. Interior floors will be restored and protected during the installation of new services. The wooden fixtures, considered valuable, will be preserved and restored, while the windows will be adapted to improve the well-being of the interior environment.
The lighting fixtures will be removed, while the original chandeliers will be restored and used; the new lighting will be design and flexible to not affect the existing. The heating systems will be replaced with design elements, while the technical rooms on the ground floor will be added a condensing boiler, emergency water tanks and an autoclave to improve the hotel’s plant operation.
Interior Design - The concept for each room of the project is based on the harmonious integration of modern and pre-existing design elements, with clean lines and high quality materials to create a balance between aesthetics and functionality. The furnishing of the rooms has been designed for a fluid circulation and optimization of the available space, with separate volumes dedicated to bathrooms and wardrobes, using color palettes inspired by frescoes of vaults and walls. Soft fabrics, such as velvet, give a cozy and valuable touch to spaces. Natural and artificial lighting will be used wisely to emphasize spaces and create differentiated atmospheres. In the bathrooms, attention to comfort and style is evident through the use of design sanitary ware and fine finishes. The environment is completed by a series of elements, such as plants, refined carpets, curtains and objects to ensure a comfortable and unique experience.The portion allocated of the Matteucci Palace is distributed on four levels, with spaces not always immediately accessible, Requiring careful planning of routes and optimal use of environments.
Financial plan - Several funding possibilities have been considered for the realisation of this ambitious project, such as the search for an expert investment partner in the field, the Creative Europe programme, the funding programs of the government agency Invitalia and specific facilities in the work in the hotel sector.