The renaturation of the riverbed serves as the foundation for an integrated vision: a new channel built with local stone and gabions replaces the former artificial structures, reconnecting the landscape to its dry-stone terraces and the Mediterranean vegetation that defines the area’s identity. The project was guided by a meticulous hydraulic study, calibrated to two-hundred-year flood events, and a landscape design aimed at enhancing biodiversity through the introduction of olive trees and native species.
Next to the stream, Villa Jole is nestled into the slope, respecting its natural topography. Seven residential units, each with direct access from the terraced levels, form an architectural composition inspired by the tradition of Italian Modernism yet free from vernacular imitation. The use of local stone and natural wood recalls the craftsmanship of Ligurian shipwrights and rural builders, softening the building’s rigorous geometric lines. The structure, devoid of a shared staircase, is connected by a single elevator, ensuring universal accessibility.
In a fragile territory rich in memory, the project reaffirms the value of architecture as an act of restitution—a gesture that heals, interprets, and reintegrates, offering a renewed sense of balance between humanity and landscape.
CREDITS
Project: Villa Jole
Studio: Ariu+Vallino Architetti Associati
Location: Noli (SV), Italy
Year: 2025
Photography: Anna Positano
