AKIRIS is a contemporary architectural project located in Villa d’Agri, a district of Marsicovetere, conceived with the ambition of creating a new urban landmark capable of combining identity, innovation, and regeneration. Its name derives from Akiris, the ancient Greek name of the Agri River, a natural element that traverses the territory and serves as the poetic inspiration for the entire building.
The development comprises two residential floors, each housing a single apartment, a ground floor dedicated to office spaces, a basement level containing garages and storage units, and an accessible rooftop terrace. The reinforced concrete structure is entirely clad in stone-effect porcelain stoneware, a material choice that recalls the natural stone of the historic cathedral in the town center, establishing a dialogue between memory and contemporary design.
The project’s most symbolic and visually distinctive feature is the external staircase, enveloped by a perforated metal skin that traces across the façade the flowing movement of the Akiris River, evoking its continuous course and transformation into a cascading stream. This architectural filter serves not only an aesthetic and poetic purpose but also functions as solar shading and protection for the staircase, generating evocative patterns of light and shadow throughout the day. At night, integrated lighting transforms the stair façade into a luminous urban beacon, making the building instantly recognizable within the surrounding landscape.
Particular attention has also been devoted to accessibility and inclusivity. A ramp provides barrier-free access to the ground floor, while an elevator positioned at the rear of the building—also clad in stone—echoes, through its vertical expression, the bell tower of the town’s historic cathedral.
The fractured lines of the roof merge with the building’s volumes to create dynamic perspectives and compelling architectural views, where forms and geometries intersect to emphasize the central role of the staircase and the strong sculptural character of the intervention. AKIRIS has also been designed according to the latest principles of energy efficiency and environmental sustainability, incorporating innovative technologies and photovoltaic panels seamlessly integrated into the roofscape.
Set within a heterogeneous urban context characterized by aging buildings, AKIRIS presents itself as a symbol of urban regeneration and aesthetic renewal. It is an elegant and contemporary architecture that goes beyond the construction of a single building, aspiring instead to generate a new identity for the entire area and to become a landmark for the future development of Villa d’Agri.
