In Mondello, a renowned seaside village near Palermo, MAB Arquitectura handles the careful restoration of Villa Liberty, a noble residence overlooking the sea, immersed in the greenery of an Italian-style garden. The building, constructed in the early 20th century as a pavilion for officers and transformed into a residential villa between the two world wars, is now facing a new design phase that reaffirms its historical identity, reformulated according to the concept of contemporary summer living.
The project aims for a subtle balance between preservation and transformation, emphasizing the dialogue between historic architecture and new functions. The villa extends over approximately 400 square meters around the stair tower, the true distribution hub, which houses a coffered wooden roof and a decorative stained glass window created in the 1920s by master Pietro Bevilacqua.
The ground floor, dedicated to reception and social spaces, opens directly onto the garden and the sea, while on the opposite side, the kitchen and secondary bedrooms are located, also connected to the guesthouse. The first floor hosts the main bedrooms, including a suite, connected to two spacious side terraces.
MAB Arquitectura’s design approach revisits the standards of Palermo’s Liberty villas without falling into nostalgia but with rigorous philological research and openness to innovation. The idea of a summer house, conceived as a place of relationship with the landscape and Mediterranean light, is reflected in the choice to enhance openings, the connection between interior and exterior, and the visual continuity with the garden.
Special attention was given to materials. The original graniglia flooring was reinterpreted with a new double-frame composition that dialogues with the rhythm of the facade, which has been restored following conservative criteria, recovering the original plaster and renewing it with a lime finish of the marmorino type. The result is a sober, refined lexicon capable of narrating the villa’s past while restoring it with a contemporary living identity. An intentional design act that integrates architecture, landscape, and local culture.
MAB Arquitectura, founded by Floriana Marotta and Massimo Basile, is a studio based in Milan, born in Barcelona in 2005. Active in urban planning, architecture, and landscape, it has completed projects in Italy and abroad, distinguished by a multidisciplinary approach and attention to sustainability. Recent works include the restoration of the Capofaro Lighthouse in Salina, the Redo masterplan in Milan, and numerous interventions in social housing and urban regeneration.
For more information: www.mabarquitectura.com
CREDITS
Project: Villa Liberty
Architect: MAB Arquitectura
Location: Mondello (PA), Italy
Year: 2024
Photograph: Benedetto Tarantino
