Inside Palazzo Rosso by La Leta Architettura
Inside Palazzo Rosso is a redesigned apartment located in Palermo, Italy, that incorporates an eclectic design style by La Leta Architettura. The building, constructed in the 1930s, faced full preservation restrictions and retains valuable elements such as high custom doors and decorative ceilings. The team opted for a conservative approach, adapting the irregular floor plan to include a fluid living area that reflects contemporary requirements while respecting the original layout.
Historic Building Under Preservation Restrictions
The project is located within Palazzo Rosso, a building constructed in the 1930s and subject to full preservation restrictions as an emblematic example of Palermo’s eclectic architecture.
Adaptive Design Recontextualising Original Spaces
The client requested a complete renovation of the property, with the aim of adapting it to contemporary living requirements without altering its original layout, characterized by an irregular floor plan and valuable features such as 2.90 m high custom-designed doors and plaster decorations on the ceilings. The project was developed in consultation with the Superintendency to ensure that the historical identity of the property was respected.
Conservation Approach Balancing Innovation And History
The load-bearing masonry structure and conservation restrictions prevented any invasive work that would alter the character of the house, opting instead for a conservative yet evolutionary design approach aimed at reinterpreting the existing spaces according to new functional logic.
Transitional Axis Leads From Entrance To Living Area
The apartment is laid out around a longitudinal axis that leads from the entrance area to the heart of the home: the living area, divided into three adjoining rooms—living room, dining area, and kitchen—arranged in sequence to create a fluid and continuous perception of space.
Kitchen Repositioned To Create Open For Living
The kitchen, originally located in a service area, has been moved and integrated into the living area, in line with new trends in domestic living, which increasingly favor convivial and open spaces.
Sleeping Area Sees Two Bedrooms And Custom Walk-In Closet
The sleeping area includes a master bedroom, a custom-designed walk-in closet, two bedrooms, a main bathroom, and a second bathroom.
Ceiling Height Precludes Use Of False Ceiling Solutions
The presence of high, decorated ceilings ruled out the use of false ceilings, directing the lighting design towards specific, exposed solutions, while the furnishings include some custom-made pieces which, together with a careful selection of designer items, adapt to the complex geometry of the floor plan.
Natural Materials Used In Response To Maintenance
The choice of materials, on the other hand, was oriented towards the use of natural materials, in particular wood and stone.
Result Reflects Past’s Dialogue With The Present
The project seeks a balance between conservation and innovation, with the aim of respecting the historical memory of the place and, at the same time, responding to the needs of contemporary living, creating an elegant and coherent space where the past dialogues with the present.
Photography by Peter Molloy
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