06/06/2026
Spirit of place
With a deep reverence for its layered legacy, I imagined the architectural transformation of Palazzo Dona Giovannelli .venezia steeped in the spirit of place. I wanted guests to feel the essence of a home, the layers of time and the centuries of joy and devotion that left their mark.
This is a residence that has passed through generations of noble families, from the Duke of Urbino to the Donà to the Giovanelli families. A place that does not reveal itself all at once, but unfolds gradually through movement, perception, and time.
My thinking moves beyond preservation. It is about encounter, between past and present, between place and story. Between old soul and timeless creations.
At la Corte del Conte’s lobby, what was once an open courtyard passage is now a generous living room, a place of gathering, encounter, and shared presence. I introduced an architectural box imagined like a majestic library: an interior architecture within the architecture itself, that transforms the space by encompassing the necessary technical functionalities, seamlessly, invoking timeless elegance and natural flair.
What adds to the singular atmosphere is the thoughtfully gathered antiques and curated objects. The palette of muted velvets and silks that look brushed like in a painting. From the 17th century tapestry that was carefully hunted for its unique naval conquest scene, flanked by a pair of 1900s chairs I found in the antique market, to the draped Roman sculpture from the 3d century, or the 1960s tables in slate and brass composed with timeless contemporary seating and the reinterpreted Venetian proportion of the stone tables in Pietra d’istria, a sense of permanence in motion permeates the room.
