Enfilade House | 2023

The restoration project for the Enfilade House, located in Palazzo Colonna-Gnudi,Bologna, seeks to reconcile the original architectural elegance with the invasive renovations carried out during the 1970s. The aim is to restore, repair, and enhance the historic features of the Piano Nobile through a thoughtful blend of conservative and contemporary architectural solutions that respect the building’s historical identity.

Architectural Vision: Rediscovering the Enfilade
The intervention involves minimal demolition and reconstruction, focused on areas heavily altered in past renovations. Key elements include the removal of a non-original L-shaped partition to create a cohesive kitchen and dining space that aligns with the existing fireplace, likely used historically for food preparation. This removal establishes a striking enfilade, visually linking the window on Via San Petronio Vecchio to the garden-facing window, thus restoring the vertical spatial harmony typical of grand Italian palaces.

A secondary demolition targets a small partition near the existing bathroom, enabling the creation of a modern, regulation-compliant bathroom.

Exposing and Restoring Ceiling Structures
The project will remove plasterboard false ceilings installed during previous works, uncovering and restoring the original wooden ceilings and beams. Structural consolidation will be minimal, with potential “rompitratta” reinforcements evaluated in subsequent phases. This approach reveals and preserves the integrity of the wooden structures, contributing to the overall coherence of the Piano Nobile spaces.

Flooring Restoration
The apartment features seminato alla veneziana flooring in the living room and bedroom, which will undergo cleaning and restoration. Another seminato floor, discovered under modern wooden planks, will be uncovered and restored in a third room. Ceramic tiles in other areas, introduced in later renovations, will be replaced with resin or seminato finishes, ensuring material continuity and visual harmony across all rooms.

Doors and Windows
The project entails replacing five garden-facing windows and a small courtyard-facing window while restoring the historic window overlooking Via San Petronio Vecchio. New wooden windows will replicate the style and slim profiles of the original frames, painted by hand in white (RAL 9001) to match existing historical tones. Exterior shutters will reintroduce the traditional Bologna-style blinds, with red and green hues sampled from the original elements.

Objectives
This meticulous restoration aspires to enhance the architectural integrity of the Occhionero apartment while reviving its historical character. By integrating contemporary interventions with respect for the past, the project reinstates the spatial harmony, material richness, and aesthetic coherence of this significant residence.

Category:Private HomesLocation:ItalyArchitect: Paolo Catrambone, ItalyLead Architects:Paolo CatramboneDesign Team: Maria Ave RomaniContractor:NISMAClient: Marina OcchioneroPhotographer: PierCarlo Quecchia