The past is charged with the now

– Walter Benjamin

• Via del Bargellino, Fiesole

The redevelopment project involves a former auto body shop located in Via del Bargellino, Fiesole, adjacent to the Etruscan-Roman necropolis dating back to the 3rd-2nd century BC. Upon initial survey, the building, which is partially subterranean relative to the street level behind it, revealed a severe state of degradation. The entrance area featured a flooded pre-existing mechanic’s pit due to copious water infiltration from the stone retaining wall.

The design approach aimed to preserve the spatial identity, converting the hydrogeological criticalities and strict municipal regulations into true architectural drivers. These constraints mandated the faithful restoration of the two external facades—facing the street and the archaeological site—requiring the exact conservation of the window partitions and colors. Concurrently, it was necessary to manage the meteoric water runoff and construct a self-supporting, dry-built staircase leading to the mezzanine with the spa.

The volume, characterized by a strong industrial identity, was repurposed into a multipurpose wellness environment, hybridizing industrial aesthetics with Oriental influences. The geometric grid of the window frames serves as a formal matrix for the steel stair block. The ancient stone wall becomes a scenic backdrop that allows water to flow visibly: channeled into a floor impluvium across the raised concrete slab, the water cascades down the steps to the drainage pit at ground level. Finally, the new metal stairways evoke the original orange hue of the former body shop.