Seaside Palaces

After a period of abandonment, the three Art Nouveau structures have been restored to their original splendor and repurposed for residential and hospitality use.

The primary objective of the project was to honor the historical and cultural identity of the buildings. The Art Nouveau façades, with their characteristic decorative elements, underwent meticulous restoration, based on precise stratigraphic analysis that allowed the original ornaments to be uncovered and seamlessly integrated.

The two residential buildings provide 19 apartments distributed over five floors. The internal layout provides functional and bright spaces, connected by sinuous, marble-clad staircases and central elevators.

The private outdoor areas and the expansive terraces engage with the maritime context with a specific choice of materials, lighting systems, furniture, and plants. The interior of the common spaces pays homage to the 1950s Italian design, featuring a rich decorative and chromatic scheme that evokes an era of great creativity.

The structural analysis revealed significant issues at the foundation level with differential settlement. The structural consolidation strategy relies on the construction of a connecting slab at the level of the foundations and the reinforcement of the concrete pillars and beams with steel elements and carbon fiber, and the reinforcement of the perimeter walls with reinforced structural render.

At the basement level, the constant flooding issues due to the seaside location were solved by a waterproofing system that combines bentonite sheets and reinforced concrete walls.

The structure of the roofs was reconstructed with steel while maintaining the original decorative elements.
This regeneration project consists not merely of an architectural recovery but returns to the city an important chapter of its architectural heritage, blending the charm of the past with the requirements of contemporary living, reaffirming Rapallo’s elegant and cosmopolitan identity.