Villa Arcadia

The proposal is a careful response to the existing romanesque church and its surrounding towers. If one way to understand the Romanesque church is to read it as a horizontal extrusion with a number of self-same units from one side to the other, our project thus formally can be interpreted as the repetition of structural units forced to bifurcate and be distorted by the two existing towers on site. This formal gesture naturally divides the program in two parts. Public programs (including shopping, social activities space and dining) nest in between the church and two towers while private programs like dormitory and other supportive facilities(kitchen, laundry, restrooms) are put in the other branch with view of picturesque Tuscany landscape.
 
The new addition turns the journey of pilgrimage into a climax as it creates an unique experience for visitors. The first thing they see when climbing up the hill is the new facade, made of wood and glass, reminiscent of the front door of the Romanesque church. the facade of the new addition is a cadenza with a sense of transparency as it lets visitors see through it to the other side from the exterior, as if it warmly welcomes the pilgrims and visitors come into the spacious public space inside. After checking in by the reception desk. The pilgrims can use the ramp or elevators if accommodated upstairs. At the ground floor.besides the dining and lounge space, they also shared a patio with panoramic scenery.  The polycarbonate facade of the new addition reflects the landscape from the outside environment, blurring the boundary between inside and outside, man made and mother nature. From a far distance, the facade enables the new addition to melt into and become part of the beautiful landscape, reducing its impact to the existing historic context.