For Ugo Da Como foundation we designed a contemporary pavilion inside the historical Lonato del Garda fortress.

The design process paid greatest attention to historic preservation and enhancement of old buildings in the surroundings and wanted to establish a dialogue with the ancient walls of the monumental complex.

The new building’s identity is the result of several factors: reading of historical and natural surroundings, relations with the historical buildings themselves and different functions for the new building.

We used glass as the main outer material so we could minimize environmental impact and reduce contrast with the historical surroundings. Also we used glass to enhance the main function of the building and to show from the outside what happens inside the main hall.

The main idea was to create a sort of continuity between the indoors and outdoors, so that people inside the building can enjoy the spectacular views of the surroundings.

The plan of the new pavilion blends seamlessly with the environment, following the course of the surroundings walls.

The result is a contemporary ‘glass house’, a geometrically defined pavilion with vertical transparent walls and a green roof.

The main goal was to build an architecture that is ‘silent’ without sacrificing character and a dialogue with the surrounding environment: a space able to welcome visitors with all the due comforts required of a contemporary building.