THE FIRST 2 YEARS WERE SPENT DISCUSSING WHAT TO DO NEXT AND CLEANING UP THE BUILDINGS AND THE PREMISES FROM THE HUGE, INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF MESS AND DEBRIS WHICH HAD ACCUMULATED. THE MAIN COURT AND THE ACCESS WAYS HAD TO BE CLEARED OF THE „JUNGLE“ OF TREES AND BUSHES WHICH HAD GROWN EVERYWHERE, AS IN A FAIRYTALE, PREVENTING THE ACCESS TO THE CASTLE. WELLS HAD TO BE CLEANED TO GET FRESH WATER, NEW DRAINS INSTALLED, GAS PIPES AND ELECTRIC CABLES LAID DOWN, SO THAT IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE AT LEAST TO START THE RENOVATION OF THE CASTLE BUILDING. DONE THIS, THE FIRST ISSUE WAS TO PUT IN A NEW ROOF, AND TO INSTALL NEW WINDOWS. THEN THE MAIN CONSTRUCTION WORKS COULD START: THE RENOVATION PROJECT WAS CONCEIVED IN SUCH A WAY TO TOUCH AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE THE EXISTING WALLS, BUT RATHER TO ADAPT THE NEW FUNCTIONS TO THE OLD SPACES. THIS ALLOWED TO RESPECT MOST OF THE HISTORICAL FEATURES WHICH HAD REMAINED IN PLACE. ALL OF THE ORIGINAL DOORS COULD SO BE SAVED. SOME OF THE WALLS, UNDER DOZENS OF LAYERS OF PAINT, RESTITUTED UNEXPECTED TREASURES – FROM THE GOTHIC FRESCO FRAGMENTS IN THE NORTH WEST ROOM, TO THE RENAISSANCE WALL DECORATION IN THE MAIN HALL, TO THE BLUE AND WHITE STENCILS IN THE BLUE BEDROOM – WHICH WE WERE HAPPY TO PRESERVE AND EXPOSE.

THROUGH EVERY PHASE OF THE RENOVATION PROCESS, WHICH WAS ALREADY SHOWING ITSELF TO BE LONGER AND MUCH MORE DEMANDING THAN WAS ORIGINALLY EXPECTED, TWO MAIN PRINCIPLES WERE ADOPTED:

- TO PRESERVE AND EXPOSE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE OF THE ORIGINAL BUILDING „BODY“, INCLUDING ALL ITS DETAILS AND ITS PRECIOUS PATINA, AND TO RESOLUTEDLY AVOID ANY INTERVENTION „IN STYLE“ WHILE MAKING ANY NEW INTERVENTION, WHEREVER NECESSARY, SIMPLE BUT CLEARLY CONTEMPORARY.

- TO RENOUNCE IN THE NEW DESIGN OF THE INTERIORS TO THE EXCESSES OF SO MUCH CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE, AIMING RATHER AT A TIMELESS MODESTY, LEAVING SPACE TO THE OLD WALLS TO CALMLY EXPRESS THEMSELVES AND TO THE NEW, LIVELY ART INSTALLATIONS TO PLAY THEIR PROTAGONISTS´ ROLE.

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