Located in the neighbourhood of San Matteo, a World Heritage site and the original urban core of the ancient town of Scicli (in Southern Sicily), a collection of houses in disuse (dating back to the XVII century) has been restored into new flats and private amenity spaces. The former habitations at ground floor overlook an internal courtyard which is bright and sunny during daylight hours and candle lit in the evening, becoming a cosy and intimate space at the heart of the project. The houses, originally built of stone and earth masonry, have been fully preserved and restored whilst being upgraded to contemporary environmental and energy standards.

During both design and construction phases, we have engaged with local artisans and craftsmen and made use of ancient building techniques and materials. Key to our approach were workshops where local materials like the volcanic rock, lime and sandstone and methods were applied to contemporary design features, such as the 4m tall shower in the main accommodation. We have been insistingly searching for a connection between the stunning surrounding and the interior spaces, designing apertures framing views of the town in every room.

Type: House

Client : P r i v a t e

Area: 300 sqm

Credits: Andrea Panizzo, Simone Pagani