The long path connecting Sirmione’s Castle and the Grotte di Catullo offers nothing more than a
narrow, underutilized passage, where visitors have little opportunities to pause, reflect, or engage
with the surrounding landscape. The palace not only stands as a highlight of the boundary
between land and water, but following the terrain’s morphology reimagines the path as a space for
social interaction and reflection. On the top a public passage connects Castello Scagliero to the Grotte
di Catullo, in this sense the project highlights the physical and historical connection between the
two monuments. The three hundred meters long palace is characterized by a series of different
blocks which not only defines the space and give a clear delimitation of the functions, but also
have inside secondary functions like bathrooms, chimneys and bookshelves. These blocks emerge on the top delimitating also the public passage on the roof creating green areas and places to sit and engage with nature, for the people visiting the two landmarks, without interfering with the privacy of the palace. The terrain’s morphology
hides and shows different parts of the structure creating each time different sections; where the building touches the mountain the rock becomes the wall creating enclosed and secluded areas where the light flows from above giving a different character to the space. The long sequence of consecutive rooms creates an enfilade of spaces alternating between narrow corridors and large spaces, this difference is highlighted thanks to the ceiling heights that changes each time reacting to the blocks and to the function underneath.
narrow, underutilized passage, where visitors have little opportunities to pause, reflect, or engage
with the surrounding landscape. The palace not only stands as a highlight of the boundary
between land and water, but following the terrain’s morphology reimagines the path as a space for
social interaction and reflection. On the top a public passage connects Castello Scagliero to the Grotte
di Catullo, in this sense the project highlights the physical and historical connection between the
two monuments. The three hundred meters long palace is characterized by a series of different
blocks which not only defines the space and give a clear delimitation of the functions, but also
have inside secondary functions like bathrooms, chimneys and bookshelves. These blocks emerge on the top delimitating also the public passage on the roof creating green areas and places to sit and engage with nature, for the people visiting the two landmarks, without interfering with the privacy of the palace. The terrain’s morphology
hides and shows different parts of the structure creating each time different sections; where the building touches the mountain the rock becomes the wall creating enclosed and secluded areas where the light flows from above giving a different character to the space. The long sequence of consecutive rooms creates an enfilade of spaces alternating between narrow corridors and large spaces, this difference is highlighted thanks to the ceiling heights that changes each time reacting to the blocks and to the function underneath.
