HIGH SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
IN SABINA (RI)
The former Red Cross real estate complex, composed of the Savoia and Maraini Villas in Fara in Sabina, has been the subject of an important restoration, renovation and functional and plant adaptation intervention, with the aim of using it as a Higher School of Public Administration. The intervention area, of high environmental value, is located near the town of Fara in Sabina and the special protection area (SPA) of the Elci and Grottone mountains. The complex, disused for several years, needed renovation and seismic adaptation interventions. The former Red Cross real estate complex, composed of the Savoia and Maraini Villas in Fara in Sabina, was the subject of an important restoration, renovation and functional adaptation intervention and plant engineering, with the aim of allocating it to the Higher School of Public Administration. The intervention area, of high environmental value, is located near the town of Fara in Sabina and the special protection area (SPA) of the Elci and Grottone mountains. The complex, which had been disused for several years, needed renovation and seismic adaptation interventions.
Vulnerability Study Service
Location
Fara in Sabina (RI)
Client
Ministry of the Interior – Ex Ages
Surface
area
180,000m2
Restoration
Type
Status
Planning
The works, started on the occasion of the Jubilee of 2000, mainly concerned structural consolidation works and the reconstruction of the roofing of the main buildings. The two main villas, Villa Savoia and Villa Maraini, are of particular historical and architectural interest, having been built on two convents dating back to the 13th century. Villa Maraini, in particular, stands on the ancient remains of a Franciscan convent from 1594, next to the remains of a church dedicated to San Biagio. The restoration work was carried out with great attention to the conservation and enhancement of the historical and artistic characteristics of the complex.
Structural consolidation interventions, renovation of roofs, restoration of decorative and artistic elements, and adaptation of the systems were carried out. In particular, restoration interventions were carried out on the wooden elements of the balustrades, the wall paintings present in the lunettes and on the walls of the internal cloister, the clock placed on the bell tower of the building of worship, the decorated wooden furnishing elements, the wooden doors and windows internal and external, of the stone elements, of the roof trusses and other decorative elements of the facade. To guarantee the safety and usability of the complex, seismic improvement interventions were carried out, including the consolidation of the masonry vaults and the insertion of new structural elements, such as stairwells independent of the pre-existing structure. Furthermore, a detailed analysis of the materials and structures was carried out, with the execution of surveys, laboratory tests and static and seismic checks.
A careful philological analysis and the application of innovative techniques, such as the use of resins and the sew and unstitch technique, have made it possible to recompose and enhance the architectural elements of the complex, restoring their ancient splendor.
The restoration of the pictorial elements and stones represented a fundamental aspect of the intervention. Frescoes, decorated plasters, stuccos, decorated altars and other decorative elements present in the complex have been recovered and enhanced. For each element to be recovered, detailed technical sheets have been compiled, divided by category of materials. The philological analysis of the historical evolution of the two villas has made it possible to identify the additions and structural intrusions, allowing for a scientific restoration that respects the originality of the complex. The intervention also involved the construction of all the systems necessary for the new use as a Higher School of Public Administration, including fire prevention, electrical, special, data, mechanical and thermal systems.
In conclusion, the restoration of the former Red Cross building complex represented an important work of recovery and valorisation of a historical and artistic heritage of great value. The intervention, conducted with scientific rigor and respecting the original characteristics of the complex, made it possible to return a place of great cultural interest to the community and to guarantee its usability for future generations. The new use as a Higher School of Public Administration represents a relaunch opportunity for the entire territory, offering a significant contribution to the training and cultural growth of new generations of public administrators.
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