In the historic center of Noto, a Baroque jewel of the Val di Noto, the Florence-based studio b-arch has developed a unified project that brings together architecture, interior design and exhibition design, redefining the identity of Dimora Santagatha and the adjacent 18th-century Church of Sant’Agata. The intervention takes shape as a coherent system of spaces and functions in which memory and contemporaneity reach a balanced dialogue, grounded in the lightness and reversibility of the architectural insertions.
The restoration of Dimora Santagatha interprets the historic building as a porous organism in constant dialogue with Mediterranean light. The cocciopesto façade integrates discreetly into the urban fabric, while the interiors compose an essential material landscape: lime surfaces and light resins, together with earthy tones ranging from ochre and sand to sage green, capture reflections of reds and blues in a palette that echoes the layered cultural heritage of south-eastern Sicily.
Across the seven guest rooms – Classic, Deluxe and Suite – the project merges conservation restoration with bespoke interior design. Recovered cement tiles, restored antique doors and headboards in natural fabrics interact with custom-designed furnishings, shaping a warm yet controlled aesthetic. The language is carefully calibrated: wood, linen and ceramics evoke a cultivated and domestic vision of Sicily, shaped by Greek, Arab, Norman and Spanish influences without ever slipping into decorative quotation.
The shared spaces—kitchen, dining room and courtyard—preserve the scale of traditional domestic living. The inner courtyard, shaded by a reed pergola and surrounded by citrus trees and aromatic plants, becomes both a climatic and sensory device: light bounces off sand-coloured walls, creating a suspended atmosphere that reflects the slow rhythm of Mediterranean life. Hospitality is thus transformed into an intimate experience, closer to the idea of a home than that of a hospitality facility.
The project extends to the former Church of Sant’Agata, part of the historic Trigona Hospital complex and attributed to the Sicilian Baroque architect Rosario Gagliardi. No longer used for worship, the church has been reinterpreted as a boutique and exhibition space, expanding the experience of the Dimora into a cultural and curatorial dimension.
The intervention is guided by the preservation of the building’s Baroque integrity through autonomous, lightweight and fully reversible elements. The new raised flooring, finished in a tone recalling Noto stone, intentionally detaches from the historic walls and altars, declaring its formal and structural independence. Every insertion is conceived to be removable without leaving a trace, following a principle of minimal impact and maximum legibility of the existing architecture.
The frescoed vault depicting The Triumph of Saint Agatha by Costantino Carasi, the stone columns and the wooden gallery become the scenography for an essential display. Slender iron and brass structures – display cases, tables and stands – appear to float within the nave, forming a continuous path that guides the gaze without interrupting the perception of the space’s original verticality and spatial clarity. Once again, it is light that defines the relationship between past and present use, activating an atmosphere suspended between art and everyday life.
With Dimora Santagatha, b-arch reaffirms an integrated design approach that moves beyond the distinction between architecture and interiors, restoration and exhibition design. Founded in Florence in 2000 by Sabrina Bignami and Alessandro Capellaro, the studio operates at the intersection of disciplines, weaving together design, craftsmanship and narrative into a single coherent identity.
For more information, visit www.b-arch.it
CREDITS
Project: Dimora Santagatha
Studio: b-arch – Sabrina Bignami, Alessandro Capellaro
Location: Noto, Italy
Year: 2025
