Borgo Baccile, saving a hamlet from ruin

The Borgo Baccile resort, a historic hamlet recovered from the family of winemakers Fantini given new life through a project by Rocco Valentini Architecture, stands amongst the hills of Italy's Abruzzo region, not far from Chieti.

The complex comprises four buildings constructed from the early Nineteenth to the early Twentieth Century, which were once the homes of country folk but have gradually been abandoned and left to fall into disrepair since the 1960s.

Borgo Baccile is an interesting renovation/redevelopment project which includes not only conservative restoration work but also the addition of a piece of strikingly modern architecture to complete the most seriously damaged original building: a modern structure in corten steel and glass. The structural work which increased the size of the buildings by adding new reinforced concrete and brickwork structures with wooden roofs was a fundamental part of the project.

The interior design of the historic buildings is modern and tasteful, to create welcoming, intimate moods between the stone walls and vaulted brickwork ceilings. Every detail is very carefully designed to fit into the historic context, and the architects meticulously selected finishes which would blend well into the existing context.

The ideal choice for this historic location proved to be Marazzi wood-effect stoneware, from the Treverkchic and Treverkever collections, used on the bedroom floors to give the rooms a warm, embracing appeal.

With their warm, natural wood colours, Treverkchic in Noce Italiano finish and Treverkever in Natural finish also provide an exquisite match with the shades of the stone and brick around them. The large stoneware planks are an impeccable evocation of the old parquet floors of rural homes, with their visible knots and beautiful vein patterns, interpreted with great realism thanks to new digital printing technologies.

Choosing a porcelain stoneware material instead of wood parquet might initially seem an odd choice for the renovation of a historic building, but the stoneware's strength and easy care, combined with the beauty of its finish, fully satisfied all the architects' demands; since the intention was to open the Borgo to the public once renovated, the flooring material used had to withstand even intensive use, to be easy to clean, and yet still fit perfectly into the context.

Today Borgo Baccile is a charming resort where you can breathe the story of a family of passionate winemakers who has transformed the ancient village nestled in the Majella Park into a welcoming and modern structure where the skilful recovery of the stone walls harmonizes with a decor modern, a new mix of materials and the outdoor pool suspended over the vineyards.