The talking stones of Palazzo delle Pietre, Luxury Apartments, Rome
When I cross the threshold of a space, whether it is a residence, commercial space, museum or reception, I expect it to tell about itself, to tell a story. Design, as well as fashion and all other forms of art, is, in its deepest essence, a storyteller, and it is these stories, each time unique and unrepeatable, that reveal the identity of a place, as much as the one of those who live in it, who often have the goal of leaving an indelible message in the mind of those who cross their threshold.
"History" is an essential component of beauty.
At Palazzo delle Pietre (The Stones Building), they are the ones who speak, the “stones”: a chorus that runs through a historical plot at the rythm of canon, in which the paths and passions of the current and visionary owners of the palace meet with the architectural heritage and the historical value of the complex and the beauty of the sculptural art of Imperial and Renaissance Rome.
Before going to the Palazzo, I went to say a quick hello to the Pantheon and Piazza Navona, which are located a few minutes from the hotel. In fact, the Palace is located in the beating heart of the Eternal City, where every day crowds of tourists go to admire the architectural wonders and most representative landmarks that dot the area; and you see them there among the alleys and small squares, enjoying the authenticity of the Roman lifestyle. Palazzo delle Pietre is almost miraculously spared from that noisy and carefree coming and going, and it carves out a space of suspended serenity and calm within the historic Via delle Coppelle.
In 2012, in front of the now unmistakable entrance, Barbara Mazzi Pensieroso found herself daydreaming in front of the abandoned building. The structure, which dates back to the fifteenth century, was in decadence and absolutely uninhabitable; emptied of the precious lifestyle of its time, it remained patiently waiting until it was found by those who were able to grasp its historical value and give it a completely new contemporary spirit.
What brings the strong and unmistakable identity to the building are, precisely, the "stones": a prestigious collection of ancient sculptures, complements, friezes and fragments started by a great-great-grandfather of the engineer Carlo Mazzi, father of Barbara, and brought forward from generation to generation; the pieces are all Italian and come from different historical periods, from the Roman imperial one (1st century BC - 3rd century AD) up to the Romanesque and Renaissance periods.
The stones are the starting point of the series of tributes that the residence places towards art and history. If it is true that Design always has a strong and evident relationship with the territory in which it is established, so the "stones" and the context in which they are inserted echo the beauty and historicity of Rome.
Palazzo delle Pietre is today a luxury apartments facility, but, in my opinion, also a real museum open to the public, and a showroom that displays some of the most iconic pieces of modern and contemporary design. The "stones" dialogue in a coherent and constant discourse with the best known lighting pieces by Artemide, the most sought after complements by Alivar, Kartell and De Padova, precious natural marbles, mosaics and ancient historical pieces brought to new life thanks to the savoir-faire of the most skilled master craftsmen, up to pieces by contemporary artists or found in small boutiques and local markets.
The mission of Barbara and the whole family is to make available to the city a place that interested, cultivated and visitors lovers of the world of art and beauty could call "home-away-from-home", and be welcomed with the hospitality usually reserved to the closest friends. It is no coincidence that the family lives inside the same building, and the style of their private homes fully reflects that of the different apartments, as if they were a real extension of their home.
The architect of the admirable renovation project was the engineer Carlo Mazzi himself, supported by the well-known studio of associated architects Mp2a; his love for art and history brought to light the original beauty of the building, hidden until then behind plasterboard walls, and gave it a new contemporary charme thanks to an admirable and wise project.
The lobby welcomed me on a precious dark gray marble floor, with natural silver veins, on which the iconic Cloud chandelier by Artemide is mirrored. Several stones are already appearing from the corners all around and from the mezzanine beyond the glass staircase, under which the reception desk is located; from here a concierge serves 24 hours a day; this corner was cleverly created by combining an ancient frieze (part of the collection of stones) and a resistant burnished metal to support it.
Moving on after the lobby you find yourself in a space surrounded by an almost ethereal calm, in which natural light filters through a newly built skylight and hits the lounge area. Sipping my coffee, comfortably seated on a De Padova sofa, I listen to the roar of the water of the two fountains here located and I observe the marbles engraved in Latin that adorn the walls; the most curious visitors can read a chapter of the family encyclopedia, which is available to the public.
On the same floor there is a conference room, aimed at giving space to meetings of circles of enthusiasts, who can find in the Palace a place of inspiration and reflection. A staircase surmounted by a cross vault and sided by an archive of wines and collectibles, leads us to the basement, where there is the gym, equipped with the most modern machines, and a small spa with sauna, also this area is adorned by the stones of the collection.
The apartments are developed on two stairs and several floors. The armored entrance doors on each floor are painted in different colors, to facilitate orientation of the guests. Each apartment is an ode to the historicity of the building and the city, in which an elegant and classic design interacts with natural materials revisited in their most sophisticated incarnations, in the co-creation of an inviting, comfortable and evocative environment. Original travertine arches and restored wooden doors divide the functional areas, while stone capitals adorn the edges of the walls. Lively Alivar fabrics, carefully selected with love by Barbara and her mother Patrizia, silk curtains and tapestries of the Milanese Altai gallery decorate the walls down to the most hidden detail. The beamed ceilings with original decorations have been expertly restored, respecting the history of the building, bringing back the origial precious identity to the apartments.
Each apartment includes a kitchen area, equipped with the most advanced technologies along with a selection of exceptional accessories (such as Sambonet cutlery, Alessi elements and Richard Ginori porcelains). The decision to include the kitchen in each apartment is designed to make the visitor totally independent; all of them are cleverly separated from the rest of the spaces by architectural tricks, without interfering with the concept of the open-space environment.
The bathrooms now represent a space that requires no less attention than any other area of the house, which is why each of the bathrooms in the building has been designed to give comfort, freedom and beauty. The original dimensions of the spaces, in many cases, have been fully respected, and this has given rise to bizarre and absolutely new floor plans, framed by the finest natural marbles that almost make you feel like being in a small natural grotto. The fine Carmignani linens bring a sophisticated detail. In the specific case of one of the bathrooms, a niche embedded behind an existing wall hides the bathtub inside a space that would otherwise have been negative and unused.
The "Stones" are not only located inside, but also consist of some perfectly functioning fountains located on the terraces, which are accessible from each of the apartments, featuring Ethimo and Ecliss outdoor furnishings. Palazzo delle pietre is to be considered in all respects a precious gift that the Mazzi Pensieroso family has placed in the hands of the city of Rome and its citizens. An admirable act of courage is to embark on such a complex and articulated restructuring, dotted over the years with the most disparate difficulties and obstacles, due to the decadent conditions of the original state of the location. The patience, tenacity and strength that the family has shown in the years of restructuring, in which fatigue and stress were much felt, should not be underestimated. However, I believe that if you decide to embark on an enterprise of this magnitude, it’s probably becouse you’re moved by a strong feeling and a mission that represent the foundation and support of the entire project.
Once again, here is a demonstration of how there can be no beauty without a strong and decisive human element; there can be no beauty without a goal supported by strong will and love. The Palazzo delle Pietre is nothing more than a tangible and material extension of the warmth of the Mazzi Pensieroso family, of their unity and their love for their home, their respect for the city of Rome and its history, their love for the art and the intrinsic value it can bring to anyone who comes into contact with it.
There can be no beauty without a history dotted with difficulties and obstacles brilliantly overcome.
There can be no man-made beauty without a history of humanity that supports it.
Palazzo delle Pietre - Luxury Apartments, Rome
Written by Francesca Polizzi
Photos by Francesca Basili