The town of S. Lazzaro di Savena is of relatively recent construction and therefore does not have a real historic centre, with the exception of the public Palazzo and the nearby church. Instead it boasts a series of villas that wealthy property owners or the middle-classes had built on the outskirts of Bologna dating from the early eighteenth century. The Villa therefore bears witness to a precise period and building type.

In the conversion of Villa Serena into a social centre for the elderly the aim was to restore the original unity of the building via the elimination of the additions made with the third and fourth extensions, carry out necessary works to the vertical and horizontal structure and make good the original decoration. It was decided to place the new addition on the lawn of the garden behind the villa, close to the eastern boundary, an area that historically seems to have been acquired later with respect to the land on which the villa was built. The idea was to create a low volume, as transparent as possible, with large glazed areas to allow extensive views of the park and the villa from any point and that in the warmer months could be opened up as required to create maximum continuity between inside and outside.

Outside, along the west side, is a structural lattice that frames a paved external area that can be used during winter when it is sunny and that in summer can be surrounded with drapes to create a pleasant shaded area. This small pavilion occupies an area of roughly 250 sqm and will be covered with a roof garden, both for visual purposes and because this type of roof makes a considerable contribution to the wellbeing of the users

Restoration and extension of Villa Serena, San Lazzaro di Savena (Bologna)
Design: PGGa Studio di Architettura - Pier Giorgio Giannelli
Structures: Marina Liberati
Mechanical services: Claudio Chiari, ACER Bologna
Electrical consultant: Claudio Ballandi, ACER Bologna
Completion: 2003-2007