Palazzo Musmeci

In the heart of Acireale, Palazzo Musmeci is brought back to life through a restoration project that intertwines historical memory with contemporary discourse. The project, led by LEV I Arch, reinterprets the spaces of a seventeenth-century building without compromising its identity, introducing new elements harmoniously balanced with the existing fabric. Within this dialogue, the courtyard with pool assumes a pivotal role: an intimate and evocative enclave where architecture, vegetation and water forge an atmosphere suspended in time

The swimming pool serves as the central visual and experiential heart of the project, elevated by the application of Marazzi ceramic surfaces. The interior lining, crafted from Crogiolo Lume Green porcelain stoneware bricks, imbues the water with depth and vibrant chromatic nuances, creating shimmering reflections that shift with the natural light and enhance the perception of space. The glazed finish, characterised by a subtly irregular texture, recalls the artisan tradition reinterpreted through a contemporary lens, forging a harmonious connection with the historic context. The pool’s edge, articulated through a rhythmic alternation of White and Green, introduces a refined yet distinctive graphic accent that emphasises the basin’s geometry while resonating with the palette of the courtyard and its vegetation.

The outcome is an intervention that transforms the swimming pool into a narrative feature, seamlessly blending aesthetics and function, as well as past and present. The Crogiolo Lume surfaces play a crucial role in crafting an immersive and sophisticated environment, where the ceramic material takes centre stage in enriching the spatial experience and affirming the contemporary identity within a historically evocative setting.


Ph. The Thinking Traveller