The project consisted of renovating an existing building located in Salò (district Renzano), at address via Valsiniga.

The existing facility was composed of two separate buildings dating back to different time periods:

• the oldest building was decorated with walls made of local stone with lime-based mortar bedding and wooden floor slabs and flat roofs;
• the most recent building had a weight-bearing structure made of reinforced concrete, and floor slabs and flat roofs made of wood and concrete.

The interventions did not include any substantial modification to the existing building, but involved a functional renovation of the same, keeping its architectural features unaltered.

The first interventions were those of structural reinforcement through the realization of perimeter bond-beams to improve the structure of the building, especially in the oldest part of the building. Indoor slabs pertaining to the oldest building are made of wood. The slab on the ground floor, directly connected to the ground, was reinforced and restored by creating a dwarf wall cavity, so as to avoid rising damp on perimeter walls.

Then, we carried out a thorough and detailed restoration and stabilization of existing stone walls, we removed soft mortar and replaced it with lime-based mortar. Reinforced concrete pillars and the walls of the barn were refurbished by using medium-grained lime-based plaster.

The covering of the oldest building, which was deteriorated and noticeably weakened, was entirely rebuilt with new timber joists, a new deck and restored bent tiles, keeping the original shape and dimension. Tinsmitheries were made by using pre-painted dark brown metal sheets.

The covering of the most recent building, on the other hand, was kept and restored by adding traditional restored bent tiles, flashings and pre-painted dark brown metal sheet tinsmitheries.

Thermal insulation of both coverings was placed from the inside, so as to keep the final look and size of original eaves.

The existing openings were kept unaltered by keeping their original position and dimension. We replaced existing doors and windows, which were completely deteriorated, while window shutters underwent a restoration procedure.

Inside, we decided to keep large portions of stone wall and to install wide glass surfaces to flood the indoor with light and open the view to the entire building complex.
By carrying out all these interventions, we were able to create a combination of modernity and history, with every modern detail perfectly integrating into the details of the past, thereby giving life to a unique mixture of styles.