REQUALIFICATION OF SANTA CHIARA CONVENT
An interconnected system of courtyards and hanging gardens, the restoration of the existing historic buildings where new student residences will be built, and a building created ex novo that will house a socio-rehabilitation center: these are the key elements of the recovery project of the former Santa Chiara convent signed by Stefano Boeri Interiors. The restoration of the existing historic buildings, which will lead to the construction of 241 student accommodations (including double and single rooms), aims to preserve and enhance the historical-architectural features of the thirteenth-century complex by recovering the original materials and finishes and eliminating the modifications made between the 1930s and 1970s. The roof of the small buildings will become the “Common Terrace,” a green space full of trees and shrubs at the complete disposal of students for study, relaxation, leisure, etc. Behind the historic central cloister will be born the new building that will house the residential socio-rehabilitation center (C.S.R.R.) “dopo di noi” intended for more than 48 frail individuals. The facility will be integrated into the context by means of a modern reinterpretation of the architectural elements of the existing complex. The roof of the building will be transformed into a Therapeutic Garden: a variety of plants will be selected by expert agronomists in order to allow guests to have a wellness experience that is integrated into their psychophysical rehabilitation journey. The greenery offered by the hanging gardens and connecting green corridors, created above the new Residential Socio-Rehabilitation Center and on the Common Terrace created above the small buildings goes, in fact, to further extend the already present green surfaces and the shading offered by the system of courtyards: the “Theater Courtyard,” the “Conviviality Courtyard” and the “Trompe-l’oeil Courtyard,” in addition to the historic central cloister.
Project: Stefano Boeri Interiors
Client: Fondazione di Piacenza e Vigevano
Location: Piacenza, Italy