The building, a centuries-old four-storey building, stands in the heart of the historical centre, overlooking the majestic and elegant main square on one side and a narrow alleyway on the other; its remaining sides form part of the adjacent urban fabric.

 

The project to restore the building and improve its energy efficiency provided the opportunity, following an analysis of its critical issues, to experiment with a new way of living in an intimate space, based on the concept of being immersed in nature. In the building’s core a double-height patio with a large skylight that can be opened as needed regulates heat and moisture throughout the year: during the summer, it functions as a “wind tower”, sucking up cool air below and expelling the hot air above, while during the winter it acts light a green house, capturing sunlight and heat to distribute it to the surrounding rooms.