When we think of Italy many images are called back to our minds; generally speaking it’s about idyllic places, deeply viewed in a historical perspective, city palaces or country farmsteads that are vanishing under the spreading standardization of the “pre-packaged” house imposed by the building market.
This Italy rich in charm and atmosphere risking to dwell by this time more in our imaginary than in daily reality is worth a deep rethink not only from the point of view of preservation and restoration, but mostly from the point of view of the search for an original and at the same time contemporary Italian style also for those historical architectural examples that would risk to turn themselves into museum houses or wholly distorted.
To stage a scenery of contemporary life in an ancient abode is a complex challenge in Italy, where there is a strong resistance to novelty and to themes dear to the contemporary language when architecture buildings with a strong artistic and historical content are involved.
The restoration of Casa Orlandi on the contrary starts from the “happy perversion” half ancient and half contemporary alternating in this abode, being as a matter of fact the very essence of the glamour of the tiny guesthouse.
Casa Orlandi is a late-18th century abode, strongly desired by a rich middle-class family of the Tuscan textile entrepreneurial activity. The house that was meant to fill the class difference between the wealthy rising middle class and the ancient aristocracy, was richly decorated by one of the main Tuscan fresco painters of the age: Luigi Catani, who worked for the grand duke of Tuscany both at Palazzo Pitti in Florence and in various Medici villas in the environs of Florence.
The restoration, long and difficult, for the very bad repair of the palace, 230 square meters unoccupied for twenty years, where also all the frescos had been covered by a thick coat of white paint, right from the beginning has been planned with the purpose of reaching a double aim, all too often forgotten.
On the one hand there was the wish for a plain, minimalist restoration, not at all inclined to remaking; wherever the decoration was partially missing it was accepted just as time has handed it down to us; the ancient floors have been saved and preserved, even if some bits are missing or with faults, the ancient casings are all original, kept in their fragile lightness.
On the other, there was the strong desire of introducing elements of contemporaneity inside an ancient architecture; a contemporaneity at the same time non stereotyped, entrusted, like it often happens, only to the names of the Italian design, but able to mix very simple elements, almost always objects found around the European markets, with elements on the contrary of famous international designers, right to create that cosy and at the same time non-prearranged mix that is frequently the feature of an experienced “house”.
Therefore the choice of keeping a lot of the shared room wide and always various, and just three rooms for the guests, that can enjoy without limit the party hall, the kitchen, the balcony or the library study.
The decision not to change in the least the typological aspect neither in the layout nor in the elevations has led as a consequence to the maintenance of a spatiality made by crossed rooms, there is no passage, through always different backdrops, where each room has been “staged” with contemporary criteria so that it is possible to communicate with the ancient places without changing them ever.
Everything can be removed, placed again, rethought without distorting the ancient abode, that in this way can be transformed with time remaining witness of a special past and full of evocative power and atmosphere of which the tokens are getting lost: the evidence of a house lived through the ages and always contemporary.
So in the small areas, all decorated baths in Corian have been mounted, one rediscovers the pleasure to go through “secret” doors to take shelter in little bathrooms that have been accepted in reduced dimensions to the advantage of a peculiar charm, that of originality.
No folk concession to objects in style, some new materials like Corian, the black slate have been introduced, and steel, that constitute the essential elements of our contemporary living.
The necessary search for comfort is never betrayed to the advantage of the aesthetic strictness, finding in ancient architecture new cues in order to be expressed.
Essentially Casa Orlandi wants to be as follows: a passing-through place for sensitive travellers who love the authenticity of ancient places without renouncing the fascination of contemporaneity but above all it wants to be witness of the fact that the Italian historical architecture, also in its more private and “fragile” version, the abode, nowadays strongly threatened in its integrity by the liberty of conceited builders and not enough defended by the law, has the possibility of being not misrepresented and at the same time to become an extraordinarily contemporary place but also witness of the past and of the passions that have enlivened it over the centuries.
Here lies the “contemporary message” for which we present this example of architecture.
To stage a scenery of contemporary life in an ancient abode is a complex challenge in Italy, where there is a strong resistance to novelty and to themes dear to the contemporary language when architecture buildings with a strong artistic and historical content are involved.
The restoration of Casa Orlandi on the contrary starts from the “happy perversion” half ancient and half contemporary alternating in this abode, being as a matter of fact the very essence of the glamour of the tiny house.
Everything can be removed, placed again, rethought without distorting the ancient abode, that in this way can be transformed with time remaining witness of a special past and full of evocative power and atmosphere of which the tokens are getting lost: the evidence of a house lived through the ages and always contemporary
a) The restoration, long and difficult, for the very bad repair of the palace, 230 square meters unoccupied for twenty years, where also all the frescos had been covered by a thick coat of white paint, right from the beginning has been planned with the purpose of reaching a double aim, all too often forgotten.
On the one hand there was the wish for a plain, minimalist restoration, not at all inclined to remaking; wherever the decoration was partially missing it was accepted just as time has handed it down to us; the ancient floors have been saved and preserved, even if some bits are missing or with faults, the ancient casings are all original, kept in their fragile lightness.
On the other, there was the strong desire of introducing elements of contemporaneity inside an ancient architecture; a contemporaneity at the same time non stereotyped, entrusted, like it often happens, only to the names of the Italian design, but able to mix very simple elements, almost always objects found around the European markets, with elements on the contrary of famous international designers, right to create that cosy and at the same time non-prearranged mix that is frequently the feature of an experienced “house”.
b) Casa Orlandi , was richly decorated by one of the main Tuscan fresco painters of the age: Luigi Catani, who worked for the grand duke of Tuscany both at Palazzo Pitti in Florence and in various Medici villas in the environs of Florence.
“Liebe” a painting by a street artist jam m.petersen
c) linen-covered “Living Divani” seating
Saarinen dining table and chairs by knoll
original floor tiles
1960s chairs
Shop-sign letter A from Italian brocante
Verner panton chairs
Painted woodworker’s table
Kaldewei bathtube
A 1960s lamp “Globo” by Martinelli
Bedroom from Cyrus Company
A 1930 chandelier
Old mirror in the kitchen
In the kitchen: a modern plastic chandelier by Solzi Luce
In the kitchen a stool from carpenter
Etc etc
"I‘ve bought this decaying nobleman's house for a bit money and I try to star a sensitively restoration...playing with old and new, four years ago. The Italians are great at ancient and are also great at modern interior design but they are not so hot at usually mixing the two!
I play with contrasting style complement one one another...the rich colours and ornate detailing of the frescoes and floor throw the clean lines of the contemporary furniture and object that coming from "marchè aux puces" around the world and they are talking about my travels and my life...
The restoration was very difficult because all the frescoes are covered...and so a friend who restores old frescoes uncover wall painting throughout, often concealed by a coat of whitewash.
The result is stunning paintings running all troughs the palazzo, from the formal architectural scheme in the main living-room to pastoral landscapes and vignettes in some smaller rooms.
The painter was Luigi Catani a very famous painter during "Granducato di Toscana" in the 18-th century and Ho worked in all Tuscany. The furniture follows the paintings on the wall and I never obscure them...
Casa Orlandi has high ceilings and unusual U-shaped layout, almost all the rooms opening on to a central courtyard terrace. Now the terrace is an outdoor dining-room with a table coming from old textile factory and pantone chairs.
I love vintage and so in the past I bought some classic...Saarineen...some lamps or chairs coming from Amsterdam. I’ve also designed the bathroom and the kitchen using corian...the mirror near the cooking fire is to protect the painting...
Now Casa Orlandi is my home and a little "charm ante" guesthouse with 3 rooms open to architects artist or people loving old houses...
I am an architect who specialises in restoring period building and in the next time I'll start with another project in France like this...to give another life to old houses and to save old properties from ossifying."
I'm an italian architect specialising in restoration and contemporary interiors architecture
Some years ago I begin to work to rinnovate the concept about the restoration...
the italians are great at ancient..they are also great at modern design...but it's really hard to find in italy the mix with irony and levity...
the italians have a block about mixing styles...
Casa Orlandi is the beginning project to show a possible mix very contemporary to live without problem and to give hospitality to a a special people where the contemporary interior design and lifestyle meet the memory, the obcjet trouvee..a poetic life...
florence born, i studied architecture at florence university and then architectural restoration master between florence and naples than I was in milan for a master in hotel plannin and decoration.
I am architect but also I write for De lettera editore, magazines about restoration and for Cityproject the only architectural free press in italy.
Some months ago I created "flanelle" a very interesting project about textiles...
I believe that in every project you have to surrond yourself with things you love...mix new and old...expensive with inexpensive...
Material Used :
1. Flooring: Original Cotto Toscano + Original Cementine tiles
2. Doors: Original XIX century painted wood door
3. Windows: Original XIX century painted wood door
4. Roofing: Frescos on vaults
5. Interior lighting: mix of design light and vintage chandelier
6. Interior furniture: design items as living divani sofa, knoll table and chairs + vintage furniture and furniture by b-arch
