TABITA’
The renovation project of the two-storey single-family building, located in the historic center of Acquaviva delle Fonti - Bari, owened by diocese, consists in the reconfiguration of the existing volume and facade and in the redesign of the internal spaces to serve a new building that could accommodate various functions in social sphere.
The state of affairs was in a state of poor maintenance, with problems regarding rising damp and poor thermal insulation, as well as the presence of a large number of additions and architectural barriers.
THE BUILDING
Compositionally, the building is characterized by the chromatic and volumetric subdivision between the ground floor and elevation and by the reconfiguration of the curvilinear corner element connecting the two fronts, which acts as the entrance canopy to the main access.
The design choices aimed to completely clean up the building of all superfluous additions, improving its insertion within the historic and urban fabric, even placing itself in strong contrast with it.
INTERIORS
The ground floor of the building houses a large central multifunctional room characterized by a resin flooring that folds up for about one meter on the vertical walls to create a real container for all the furnishings and functions hosted. The identifying element of this space is the large central truncated cone pillar which incorporates the existing structural one, becoming the visual fulcrum of the entire room.
To serve the new functions housed, three custom-made furnishings were created in the carpentry: the storage unit, the large door which, together with the coat rack and the oak umbrella stand, frame the main entrance, the window with hinged doors which connects the kitchen at the service of Caritas with its users.
The lighting system, on the other hand, is made up of a ceiling grid that offers diffused light and punctual ceramic lighting devices, made to measure by local craftsmen.
Finally, the use of color is the protagonist, as well as in the main room, in all the ancillary rooms such as entrances, kitchen, services and storage thanks to the use of glazed ceramic facing tiles.
COVERAGE AND VERTICAL CONNECTIONS
Overcoming the architectural barriers was solved with the installation of an elevator located inside the existing cloister connecting the ground floor, first floor and terrace.
It is capped off by a metal pergola supported on one side by an independent structure on circular pillars and on the other leaning on the existing stair tower, also brought back to a simple and regular volume.
It is a structure composed of tubular pillars and IPE beams, the use of which has allowed the minimum thickness of the roof and maximum slenderness of its compositional elements.
Thanks to these interventions, the terrace acquires new life, becoming a shared space for outdoor activities.
