The balance between old and new is at the core of the architectural restoration. The architect's hand must be impartial and balanced both in adding; taking away and leaving. Working on a villa in the Tuscan countryside is complex under many points of view and involves particular attention and respect by those who design. Contemporary architecture approaches tradition and the result must be harmonious. Villa di Travignoli is nestled in the heart of Chianti Rufina, in Tuscany, a few kilometers east of Florence. We are in a former convent dating back to the fifteenth century surrounded by a countryside full of vineyards and the villa itself has some very old cellars still used today.
The main building has a "U" shape and this project concerns the central part, not touching the two side arms. Precisely this portion was added around the seventeenth century by joining two parallel bodies. We are in fact on the path of one of the ancient streets that led from the Tuscan capital to Casentino, through the passage of Consuma: centuries ago in place of this portion of the building there was a road and the travelers stopped at the convent for a rest. Restoring in Chianti does not just mean respecting the historical and cultural context of the place.
In this situation we must also take into account the tradition which, however, is increasingly approached to innovation and modernization in both the agricultural and architectural fields. The intervention at the Villa di Travignoli - full of history and part of a winery - was designed to integrate naturally into the context in which it was made, but also brings new formal solutions, with the aim of bringing the villa closer to a standard high design. The result is a collection of materials related to this area of Tuscany, inserted into forms and concepts of contemporary architecture.
Respect and innovation, in fact.
