by Maria Carmen Genovese – Nicoletta La Rosa
The degree thesis,
Studi e Restauro di villa Serradifalco a Bagheria (Studies and Restoration
of Villa Serradifalco of Bagheria), has taken grounds on the critical
analysis of historical news that referred to unpublished archive documents
and links with the surrounding territory.
Due to a renewed interest of Palermo’s nobility in country houses,
already since the end of the 17th century, these residences have undergone
some transformations and became, not only a source of revenue, but also
the status symbol of noble owners.
The Villa of the Dukes of Serradifalco, although it was built in such
a context, kept on being the centre of the agricultural production of
the family’s vast homestead.
In parallel with the search for historic data, a geometric-dimensional
analysis of the architectural system was carried out in order to give
the metric survey some critical guidelines, through an in-depth analysis
of building technologies and materials resulting from the reading of
specialized handbooks.
The methodological order that has been adopted to analyse the state
of conservation of the structure foresees three subsequent steps: identification
of decays and ruins; selection of the direct surveys to carry out; identification
of the necessary restoration interventions. The execution of building
and technical details has made clear the practical modalities according
to which planned interventions must be carried out.
The project, aimed at refunctionalizing the Villa Serradifalco, has
counted with the creation of a hotel structure that would bring back
to life those activities that marked the social and economical history
of the architectural complex.
These final results are not the output of the only possible project
but surely the logical outcome of a reasoning based on the acquired
knowledge and aiming at understanding the architectural object.
