Carlotta Di Sandro and Cecilia Marcheschi of Atelier Vago have added pops of bright blue and yellow to the Pailunga creative space in a deconsecrated chapel near Pisa, Italy.
Located in the countryside surrounding the village of Fauglia, Pailunga is a creative space offering residencies for artists, particularly musicians.
Pailunga is a creative space designed for musician residencies
It is the first completed project by Florence-based Atelier Vago, commissioned by composer and psychologist Giulio Fagiolini.
Fagiolini’s ambition was to “restore a spiritual vocation” to this near-ruined structure, which forms part of a historic farming estate once owned by the distinguished D’Achiardi family.
The facade was restored as part of the renovation
“The little church once served as the liturgical and social centre for the surrounding community,” explained Di Sandro and Marcheschi.
“Every Sunday, mass was celebrated here by the Salesians, aided by the wide, shaded garden outside, where worshippers could gather and linger.”
The building previously served as a chapel for a farming estate
Working to a tight budget, the designers planned a renovation that restored the facade of the old chapel and overhauled the interior, allowing it to function as both a live/work space and a venue for intimate concerts.
Clever use of colour allowed them to create character despite minimal interventions.
“The colour palette lends the interiors a pop character, softening spaces that might otherwise feel austere,” said the duo.
“The chromatic choices also reflect the intention to create a sharp contrast between the new insertions and the existing structure.”
Part of the staircase is mobile, so it can be moved during performances
The new additions include a folded steel staircase, featuring a blue tone chosen to complement the remaining traces of a fresco on the chapel’s apse.
This staircase connects the ground floor with a recently added wooden mezzanine, which now serves as a bedroom. But it doesn’t extend all the way down to the ground.
Blue details match the remaining traces of a fresco on the chapel’s apse
Atelier Vago designed an extra staircase, comprising just four steps, to complete the descent. This element is mobile, so it can be moved out of the way during performances.
Other blue details include a custom-made balustrade, which echoes the building’s curved geometries, and the frame of the rose window in the bedroom space.
The same colour was applied to a rose window in the bedroom
The use of yellow meanwhile references the building’s facade. It was chosen for door frames, bathroom fittings and various furniture elements.
The designers describe their approach as “embracing the scars of the past and weaving them into new architectural gestures”.
A custom-made balustrade mirrors the building’s curved geometries
“The architectural project is guided by the principle of enhancing what remains and preserving historical traces,” they said.
“A house for art, anchored in the present yet projected into a timeless dimension, Pailunga is not merely to be considered a former place of worship adapted for residential and artistic use, but a stage for human creativity, capable of nourishing the soul and revealing the sacred within the everyday.”
Yellow details contrast the blue, picking up the tone of the facade
The building welcomed its first resident, cellist Antonio Cortesi, in September. He was given access to recording equipment, guitars and a grand piano, and Fagiolini produced a recording of the results.
Pailunga also serves as a part-time home and workspace for Fagiolini.
The photography is by Carlotta Di Sandro.
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