inform projects : design : project management Landscape concept 2:
Landscape concept 1:
Lucignano Tuscany Italy: Toto Albergo conversion: adaptive reuse of heritage building
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Conversion of albergo into villa and apartments with private garden and pool in the centre of fortified medieval village of Lucignano, Tuscany.
Heritage significance:
The repurposing of an existing building within a historically significant place is a challenge. Whilst virtually all the built form in the centro storico of Lucignano reflects its mediaeval origins, the old Toto Albergo site different. Whilst its origins reflect its former use a convent, significant unsympathetic changes and additions constructed in the early 1960's cast a glaring aesthetic imposition on Lucignano's centre. These 1960's changes include a swimming pool, a large metal-roofed lightweight single level building - sala di pranzo, and a steel and glass entry structure. The current proposal is to reconstruct these built elements with a built form reflecting adjoining structures and utilising traditional materials, colours and textures.
View from the public domain:
The proposed reconstructions of the 1960's buildings into their new forms are essentially invisible from the public domain. Due to the existing surrounding walls and buildings, other than a slight oblique view from Corso delle Monache, the proposed works are not visible from any public place. If you were to view the site from Fortezze Medicee (being 600+ metres away), it may be possible to view a slight change in Lucignano's skyline, but without the aid of binoculars, this would hardly be discernable. Arguably, the existing 1960's metal building would probably be more noticeable by its unsympathetic form and material use, than what is being proposed. One visual aspect that will be far better than currently, is from an aerial view (as Lucignano is often depicted), the jarring visual form of the 1960's buildings are a blight on this view will be removed, with old terracotta roof tiles being the proposed replacement.
In addition, all the highly visible parts of the existing Toto Albergo building, will be much improved from the existing. This includes the replacement of gold-anodised aluminium windows and aluminium sliding shutters with traditional timber windows and shutters throughout.
Ongoing viability vs heritage:
One of the dichotomies of reconfiguring commercial sites in historic settings is to ensure the historic context is retained but to ensure ongoing viability of the site. If the site is not viable then it will fall into disuse and eventually, ruin. There is also the social aspect to consider, if there is not employment in Lucignano's centro storico then the centre will eventually lose its life as a sustainable and viable village. There is no doubt that a touristic accommodation and event space in the historic centre has an impact - both in its visual built form and its operational aspects - however this proposed development provides a balance between the heritage benefits of reconstructing unsympathetic structures and the ongoing social and commercial benefits to the town of Lucignano.
Final configuration:
Proposed villa and grounds will be available, once complete, as a venue and luxury accommodation for events, weddings, and familiy reunions.
Stage 1: Restoration of dependance: Complete November 2017
Stage 2: Restoration of pool and solarium: Complete February 2019
Stage 3: Restoration and reconstruction of main buildings: Complete March 2021
Site area drone image 2018:
Completed restoration of pool in travertine: Feb 2019:
