In years like this, when uncontrolled expansion is being contrasted with reuse, and the museum-like hibernation of historic buildings with protection and the envisioning of a new active life of theirs for the future, renovations express this vision of the world with equal force across all scales of design, from milestones in the history of architecture that are being renewed, to houses that are being extended or generated by reinterpreting pre-existing spaces. We selected fifteen of these stories, from New York to Palestine, from Denmark to Greece.
Best renovations of 2022
A selection of this year’s “new lives”, including the Procuratie Vecchie in Venice, the AT&T in New York and a multitude of contemporary projects springing from existing heritage.
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- Giovanni Comoglio
- 22 December 2022
After 500 years Procuratie Vecchie reopen in Venice, renovated by Chipperfield
Photo Alberto Parise
Photo Alberto Parise
Photo Alberto Parise
Photo Alberto Parise
Photo Alberto Parise
Photo Alberto Parise
Photo Alberto Parise
Photo Alberto Parise
Photo Alberto Parise
Photo Alberto Parise
Photo Alberto Parise
Photo Alberto Parise
Photo Alessandra Chemollo
Photo Alessandra Chemollo
Photo Alessandra Chemollo
Photo Alessandra Chemollo
Photo Alessandra Chemollo
Photo Alessandra Chemollo
Photo Alessandra Chemollo
Photo Alessandra Chemollo
Photo Alessandra Chemollo
Photo Richard Davies
After half a millennium, the Procuratie Vecchie reopen in Piazza San Marco, with an architectural project by David Chipperfield. “The history of this building is intertwined with the history of Venice and Italy,” says the president of Assicurazioni Generali Gabriele Galateri. Today the building is the new home of The Human Safety Net, the humanitarian foundation of Generali. Half of the first floor includes the offices, the other half and the second-floor houses institutions and associations, while the third floor is open to the public. Read the full article here
Snøhetta renovates Philip Johnson's AT&T building
Courtesy Snøhetta
Courtesy Snøhetta
Courtesy Snøhetta
Courtesy Snøhetta
Courtesy Snøhetta
Architectural firm Snøhetta has recently renovated the well-known postmodern skyscraper 550 Madison in New York, formerly known as the AT&T building and designed by Philip Johnson and John Burgee – nicknamed “Chippendale” when it opened in 1984 because of the gable reminding one of the furniture by the British manufacturer. Read the full article here
Gallerie d’Italia opens a new venue, designed by Michele De Lucchi
On 17 May Gallerie d’Italia will “land” in Turin, where a new, futuristic site will join those in Milan, Vicenza and Naples (which, with the inauguration on 21 May, will now move to Palazzo Piacentini). Domus guest editor 2018 Michele De Lucchi and his AMDL CIRCLE curated the project: ten thousand square metres, most of it literally invented on the five floors that will host the exhibition routes. Read the full article here
Historical building in Bethlehem revitalized through new stairs and vaulting
photo Mikaela Burstow
photo Mikaela Burstow
photo Mikaela Burstow
photo Mikaela Burstow
photo Mikaela Burstow
photo Mikaela Burstow
photo Mikaela Burstow
photo Mikaela Burstow
photo Mikaela Burstow
photo Mikaela Burstow
photo Mikaela Burstow
photo Mikaela Burstow
photo Mikaela Burstow
photo Mikaela Burstow
photo Mikaela Burstow
photo Mikaela Burstow
photo Mikaela Burstow
courtesy AAU Anastas
courtesy AAU Anastas
courtesy AAU Anastas
courtesy AAU Anastas
courtesy AAU Anastas
Unveiling and actualizing a historical identity through an ultra-contemporary architectural gesture is, for the Anastas brothers, an approach to be undertaken with awareness but without prejudice. Such is the case with their latest renovation, Dar Al Majous, an eighteenth-century building integrated into the urban fabric of Bethlehem’s historic center, not far from the Church of the Nativity. Read the full article here
On the Greek coast, a ruin is transformed into a contemporary house
Photo Panagiotis Voumvakis
Photo Julia Klimi
Photo Julia Klimi
Photo Julia Klimi
Photo Julia Klimi
Photo Panagiotis Voumvakis
Photo Panagiotis Voumvakis
Photo Panagiotis Voumvakis
Photo Panagiotis Voumvakis
Photo Julia Klimi
Photo Julia Klimi
Photo Panagiotis Voumvakis
Photo Panagiotis Voumvakis
Courtesy Etsi Architects
Courtesy Etsi Architects
Courtesy Etsi Architects
Courtesy Etsi Architects
Courtesy Etsi Architects
Courtesy Etsi Architects
Foto: Julia Klimi, Panagiotis Voumvakis
Foto: Julia Klimi, Panagiotis Voumvakis
Foto: Julia Klimi, Panagiotis Voumvakis
The main goal was to transform a historic building into an elegant house capable of combining the Peloponnesian landscape with the essentiality of domestic spaces. This was the task that Etsi Architects set as they were commissioned an intervention on the historic customs in the port of Kardamyli. Read the full article here
New life for ruined convent in Corsica, in the footsteps of Ruskin
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
Photo Thibaut Dini
John Ruskin said that “we must give a historical dimension to architecture today, preserving that of past eras as the most precious of inheritances”: this is the logic behind Corsican architect Amelia Tavella’s approach to the rehabilitation and extension of the Saint-François convent, built in 1480 and long since in ruins, of which the project has scrupulously preserved the vestiges. Read the full article here
BIG turns former refugee camp into a museum of forgotten stories
The Refugee Museum of Denmark tells many different stories under the common denominator of “flight” (“Flugt”, in Danish): the flight of millions of people from many countries of the world who, since the Second World War, have been forced to abandon their lands to find acceptance and a better future in a foreign country. Read the full article here
Operating on the Modern: a villa in the Czech Republic
Photo Roman Mlenjnek
Photo Roman Mlenjnek
Photo Roman Mlenjnek
Photo Roman Mlenjnek
Photo Roman Mlenjnek
Photo Roman Mlenjnek
Photo Roman Mlenjnek
Called to intervene in the renovation and extension of Villa Wellnerova, built in the early 1930s in Olomouc, Czech Republic, Jan Pospíšil and the group of architects and engineers from the PAB studio wanted to formulate a philological approach to the recovery of Modern heritage. This was pursued in attempting to get closer to the building's original image, even in the extensions that had become necessary . Read the full article here
Stones, water and wood of a renovated farmhouse in Apulia
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Courtesy Valari
Courtesy Valari
Courtesy Valari
Courtesy Valari
Courtesy Valari
Courtesy Valari
Embracing materiality, the Mediterranean landscape, and the suggestions of a 17th-century ruin that invites contemporary design: these are the factors that have guided the renovation of a farmhouse (masseria) in Carovigno , in the hills of Valle d’Itria, overlooking the sea of Apulia. The peculiarity of the programme, positioning halfway between tourism and domesticity, has added value to the intervention: creating a holiday home for large family groups, or company retreats. Read the full article here
A volume with green roof for the extension of a country house
Photo Ypsilon Business Photography
Photo Ypsilon Business Photography
Photo Ypsilon Business Photography
Photo Ypsilon Business Photography
Photo Ypsilon Business Photography
Photo Ypsilon Business Photography
Photo Ypsilon Business Photography
Photo Ypsilon Business Photography
Photo Ypsilon Business Photography
Photo Ypsilon Business Photography
Photo Ypsilon Business Photography
Photo Ypsilon Business Photography
Photo Ypsilon Business Photography
Photo Ypsilon Business Photography
Photo Ypsilon Business Photography
Photo Ypsilon Business Photography
Photo Ypsilon Business Photography
Photo Ypsilon Business Photography
Photo Ypsilon Business Photography
Photo Ypsilon Business Photography
Photo Ypsilon Business Photography
Photo Ypsilon Business Photography
Photo Ypsilon Business Photography
Photo Ypsilon Business Photography
A space for relaxation with a view of greenery: Objekt Architecten extended a private residence in Lebbeke, in the Belgian countryside, and transformed the existing two-place garage into a cosy space open to the garden. Read the full article here
A low-energy house in London
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Christian Brailey
Photo Christian Brailey
Photo Christian Brailey
Photo Christian Brailey
Photo Christian Brailey
Photo Christian Brailey
Photo Christian Brailey
Photo Christian Brailey
Photo Christian Brailey
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
Photo Lorenzo Zandri
An Edwardian terraced house in Muswell Hill, a suburb of London, has been extended and renovated to reduce its energy consumption. Designed by Architecture for London, for the firm director Ben Ridley, it is intended to be an example of a typical London terraced house capable of being sustainable and with a low environmental impact. Read the full article here
A contemporary reconstruction between stone walls and sunflowers
Photo Joan Casals Pañella
Photo Joan Casals Pañella
Photo Joan Casals Pañella
Photo Joan Casals Pañella
Photo Joan Casals Pañella
Photo Joan Casals Pañella
Photo Joan Casals Pañella
Photo Joan Casals Pañella
Photo Joan Casals Pañella
Photo Joan Casals Pañella
Photo Joan Casals Pañella
Photo Joan Casals Pañella
Photo Joan Casals Pañella
Photo Joan Casals Pañella
Photo Joan Casals Pañella
Photo Joan Casals Pañella
Photo Joan Casals Pañella
Photo Joan Casals Pañella
The studio has undertaken the reconstruction of a ruined farmhouse, of which only a stone wall remained: the wall has been meticulously restored and the new home has been built alongside. Read the full article here
La volta catalana protagonista nel rinnovamento di una officina a Barcellona
Photo: Pol Viladoms
Drawings and model: 08014
Photo: Pol Viladoms
Drawings and model: 08014
Photo: Pol Viladoms
Drawings and model: 08014
Photo: Pol Viladoms
Drawings and model: 08014
Photo: Pol Viladoms
Drawings and model: 08014
Photo: Pol Viladoms
Drawings and model: 08014
Photo: Pol Viladoms
Drawings and model: 08014
Photo: Pol Viladoms
Drawings and model: 08014
Photo: Pol Viladoms
Drawings and model: 08014
Photo: Pol Viladoms
Drawings and model: 08014
Photo: Pol Viladoms
Drawings and model: 08014
Photo: Pol Viladoms
Drawings and model: 08014
Photo: Pol Viladoms
Drawings and model: 08014
Photo: Pol Viladoms
Drawings and model: 08014
Photo: Pol Viladoms
Drawings and model: 08014
The Catalan vault is a construction technique developed around the 15th century in Catalonia and Valencia, used mainly in civil construction. Many modern renovations have also hidden this element, both for aesthetic and practical reasons. A contemporary trend is instead to rediscover Catalan vaults, using them as recognisable and characterising elements. This is exactly the approach adopted by Adrià Guardiet and Sandra Torres, of studio 08014, who recently completed a flat in Barcelona converting an old industrial workshop. Read the full article here
A ground floor is extended in the historic center of Guimarães
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Photo Tiago Casanova
Drawing Merooficina
Drawing Merooficina
Drawing Merooficina
Drawing Merooficina
Drawing Merooficina
Drawing Merooficina
Drawing Merooficina
A small lot in the historic center of the Portuguese municipality of Guimarães, defined by rapid hypertrophic urbanization, has recently been the subject of a restoration and extension project by Merooficina studio. The starting point of the intervention is a pre-existing 19th-century building, initially a pivotal element for two additional constructions: a ground-floor extension and a new commercial building. Read the full article here
Hemp, lime and Marés stone: a natural house
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
Photos: Salva López. Drawings: Ideo Arquitectura
The Casa Naturale renovated by Ideo Arquitectura in the village of Ses Salines, on the island of Majorca, is so named because it has been rethought through a paradigm shift: the architects do not only consider form and function, the main architectural issues faced in the modern era, but pay special attention to the materials used, the ecological footprint and the complete life cycle of the construction. Read the full article here