Aerial roots

A BUILDING FROM THE 1700S ON THE MOST MONUMENTAL SQUARE IN NAPLES, RESTORED WITHOUT NOSTALGIA.

Facing the monumental Piazza della Vittoria in Naples, this apartment is in a building designed by the brightest star of the Baroque in that city, Ferdinando Sanfelice. The surviving helical staircase leads to the residence of a young couple with three children. «Avoiding nostalgia», the owner explains, «we wanted a rapid renovation that would reflect the interests of the whole family». The architect Pasquale Bianchini has conserved historical fragments wherever possible, while creating a light, luminous context. The lack of outstanding architectural features suggested an approach of maximum simplification, without any historical mimicry. Bianchini has explored contrasting eras, selecting only the essential parts. But the house is also full of surprises. The master bathroom is located in what was once a chapel, and its ample size is enhanced by the presence of a dome. The central 18th-century tub in Carrara marble is almost like an art installation. In the corridor-gallery leading to the bedroom zone, works of art by Fabian Marti are joined by Potence lamps by Charlotte Perriand, drawing the gaze upward to the vaulted ceiling. The architect has met a difficult challenge: to adapt a historical site, creating a modern family residence.