LA TORRETTA NEOGOTICA Carla Altamirano - Eliza del Castillo - Romila Strub - Alkisti Volonasi | GROUP 2

RENOVATION PROPOSAL
RENOVATION
Prior to giving new functions to the Torretta,
renovation work needs to be carried out in
order to fix the damage caused by decay and
safeguard it from any further deterioration.
As can be seen below, a series of interventions
have been defined, deemed important in order
to protect the integrity of the building. These
have been listed in order of priority, as some
are of an urgent nature.
MAIN WALLS SERVICE AREAS
In respect of the original design and historical All service areas were located in the basement
value of the building, all main walls have been of the building in order to not place heavy
left untouched. This is important under a machinery or extensive pipe work in the public
historical aspect, as it allows the new layout floors of the building. Being a building created
to remains true to the original spaces of the for aesthetic reasons, as a fake ruin within
Torretta. It is also important in regards to the park, it would be unfitting to place kitchen
structural preservation as it doesn’t create any machinery and storage areas in it.
possibility for the renovation to cause damage
to the building.

ACCESSIBLE TOILET VERTICAL CIRCULATION PLUMBING

By changing the position of a secondary wall, a
single accessible toilet was created at ground
level. The size of the Torretta only allows for a
limited number of guests, and therefore does
not require multiple toilets. A single accessible
toilet was therefore deemed more important in
order to make the bar accessible to all.
Adding a lift to the building was deemed too The layout of the bar was designed in
invasive an intervention for a building of such consideration of the placing of pipes for
historical value. Therefore, in keeping with plumbing and electrics. Interventions on the
the idea of having a single accessible toilet, all wall are kept to a minimum by placing the
services of the bar placed on first floor were also kitchen below the toilets and hence localising
made available on ground floor. This was done the plumbing in a single area of the building.
so that everyone could take full advantage of Electrics wires for pipes for heating could be
the services of the new bar. Toilet, cloakroom, kept outside the walls in the form of copper
bar, and tables are all placed at ground level. pipes in order to not alter the existing walls.

INDEPENDENT HEATERS ALL SEASONS LOCAL PRODUCE

Independent, standing heaters were chosen
for the outdoor portico in order to avoid any
unneccessary interventions on the walls of the
building. This option does not require the wall
to be drilled into or opened for electrical wires
or hanging systems. What is more, the heaters
can be more easily stored away to protect them
from the weather or theft.
The bar that has been housed in the Torretta The new bar can support other activities of
Neogotica for a few years was only open in the the park such as the agriculture school, the
summer season, leaving the Torretta empty for community allotments and the local market
the majority of the year. In order to value this that have been envisioned as a part of the
building and make it a functional asset within masterplan. By using local, Lombardo produce
the park, heaters and cloack rooms are added grown in the park, the bar can inform its guests
to the building in order for people to make full of the park’s important agricultural heritage
use of the space even in the colder months. and allow them to discover other interesting
activities.

PIANO BAR RECYCLED MATERIALS DESIGNER FURNITURE

The function of bar/restoration point that
the Torretta has had in the past years will be
retained, seeing as the number of restoration
points in the park is already limited. In order
to bring added value to it, offering a different
experience for the visitors of Monza Park, the
bar has been given a distinct charachter - that
of a piano bar - in order to differente it from the
Tempietto located across the road.
In keeping with the idea of a respectful and Having designed the Torretta as a unique bar
low impact renovation, the interior finishes with live music, local produce and recycled
and furniture could be made out of recycled materials, the design of the interiors should be
materials. This would not only give a textural fitting with these bespoke functions. Therefore,
depth that would be more fitting with the rather than placing sterile pieces of furniture, it
historical nature of the building, but would also could be chosen with an attention to detail that
make guests more conscious of the importance a building of such historical value deserves to
of the space they are in. receive.

KEY CONCEPTS VIEW OF THE PIANO BAR VIEW OF THE PORTICO

OUNGE
H 2,90m
STORAGE
H 2,30m

5699.9310

MEZZANINE
H 2,20m

LOUNGE
H 4,00m

9,90 9,90

8,80

2799.1615 6800.9510 5598.2976

5,20 5,20

LOAKROOM
H 5,20m

LOUNGE
H 2,90m
STORAGE

6500.2940
H 2,30m

5699.9310

MEZZANINE
H 2,20m
PIANO BAR PORTICO 5699.9310

H 5,20m
9,90
LOUNGE
-3,00 -3,00
WC H 4,00m

H 2,60m
8,80

SECTION | AA’ SECTION | BB’

SCALE 1:100 SCALE 1:100
2799.1615 6800.9510 5598.2976

2 1829.3000 6800.9510 5598.2976

5,20

CLOAKROOM
H 5,20m

2781.1859
8670.4820

1011.0619
LOUNGE 5798.8492 1011.0624
H 2,90m

PANTRY KITCHEN
H 2,80m H 2,80m

STORAGE
6500.2940
-3,00
PORTICO

H 2,30m
PIANO BAR 5699.9310 8670.4820 5699.9310

2025.5943 H 5,20m
9,90
5102.8348 MEZZANINE
978.4457
WC 1011.0619 5798.8492 1011.0624 H 2,20m

H 2,60m
8,80
LOUNGE
H 4,00m

1454.1137

978.4457

819.8412 1829.3000 6800.9510 5598.2976 2799.1615 6800.9510 5598.2976

2498.4791 3900.1815

5,20

PLAN | BASEMENT PLAN | GROUND FLOOR PLAN | FIRST FLOOR

SCALE 1:100 SCALE 1:100 SCALE 1:100
LOUNGE
H 2,90m
5034.4784
STORAGE

6500.2940

8670.4820
H 2,30m

5699.9310

MEZZANINE
1011.0619 5798.8492 H 2,20m 1011.0624 3166.4057
5034.4784

PRESERVATION
LOUNGE
H 4,00m

LEGEND PRESERVATION PHASES 8670.4820

SCALE 1:50 3166.4057

978.4457
REMOVAL
1. DRAINAGE PIPE
1011.0619 8670.4820
5798.8492
4. VEGETATION ON THE ROOF TURRETS
101
Biological patina
The most urgent intervention to be carried out on the Another intervention to be carried out on the facade is that
Vegetation - Roof 1011.0619 5798.8492 1011
11662.5296
CLOAKROOM
Torretta facade is that of extending the drainage pipe down of removing the vegetation that is present all along the roof
tot he ground because the bottom part is missing. From the
H 5,20m turrets. Although not as important as the humidity-related
2799.1615 6800.9510 5598.2976
Vegetation - Ground facade once can see that
2781.1859
this part used to be present, as a interventions described in interventions 1-3, this is also a
series of nails are present in the masonry. The lack of the key intervention to be carried out as the vegetation has not 8670.4820
drainage pipe is having major, permanent, consequences been removed for a long period of time and has therefore
PANTRY
H 2,80m
KITCHEN
H 2,80m
ADDITION on the facade because the area around it is exposed to very developed some twig-like branches and roots, causing minor
high levels of humidity. As can be seen in the pictures to the cracks in the facade. The branches growing there must be
Missing drainage pipe right, a biological patina has grown over the masonry, and the -3,00 1011.0619
removed, and perhaps a membrane or stone shingle placed
5798.8492
masonry itself has decayed losing the some filling mortar and to avoid them growing back again in the future.
11662.5296
5102.8348
Missing masonry the outer layers of the bricks.

8915.7485 PORTICO
Missing frieze PIANO BAR 5699.9310

2025.5943 H 5,20m

WC
H 2,60m

8915.7485 5034.4784 1454.1137

5219.3428

5649.6055
2498.4791 3900.1815

3166.4057
2. PAVING AND VEGETATION AT GROUND 5. MISSING FRIEZE
LEVEL 819.8412 1829.3000 6800.9510 5598.2976
The fifth intervention to consider is that of recreating the
CLOAKROOM 5219.3428 central part of the frieze that has been lost. This intervention
H 5,20m Similarly to the damage caused by the drainage pipe, a lot
of humidity is generated from the ground. This rising damp is not necessary and thus of no urgency, but is of historical
2781.1859
accelerates the decay of the facade and must therefore be 5649.6055
value. The frieze depicts a hunting scene, originally created
limited by intervening on the paving. A new paving could be to reflect the historical activities carried out in the park.
Recreating it would thus bring back a historical meaning
3166.4057 placed, remaining true to the original colour and form of the
of the building. In order to not create a false-old, the infill
tiles, with a damp proof course below it that would block
humidity from rising. The vegetation found at ground level, could be made out of a different material such as resin or
tough plastic, recreating the historic form of the frieze while
11662.5296 3166.4057 although not very invasive, contributes to the damp rise as it
distinguishing itself from the original. This would allow the
grows out of, and thus creates gaps, in the paving. Hence, this
too should be removed and controlled in the future. story to be read in full while remaining true to the original.

PIANO BAR PORTICO 5699.9310

2025.5943 H 5,20m
9,90
530.0000
WC 3166.4057
H 2,60m
8,80

8915.7485
1454.1137 4001.0000 1392.1259 1440.0000 2540.0000 1440.0000 1392.1259

530.0000 12205.2518

8915.7485 3. MISSING MORTAR 6. FUNCTIONAL RE-USE

819.8412 1829.3000 6800.9510 4001.0000
5598.2976 1392.1259 1440.0000 2540.0000 1440.0000 1392.1259
5219.3428 The third intervention to be carried
5,20 out is not as urgent as Once these interventions are carried out on the facade to
8915.7485
12205.2518 the previous ones, but should be carried out to block further PANTRY KITCHEN
safeguard its structural integrity and reconstruct its historical
5649.6055 decay to the masonry. In many areas of the facade, the outer H 2,80m meanings,
H 2,80m interventions could be carried out on the Torretta
part of the mortar has eroded with time. As can be seen in the to give it more active functions within the park. In the past
photo to the right, this loss of mortar increases the possibility years the Torretta has been used in summer months as a bar,
of bricks falling out as they are no longer well binded La Torretta, but has recently been left in disuse. In order to
together. This form of renovation has already been carried 5102.8348
valorise it within the park and use it all year around, a scheme
out in the lower left part of the facade, and can be noticed has been developed to turn it into a piano bar that could be
5219.3428 8915.7485
thanks to the difference in colour tone. However, many areas used all year around. This intervention would be carried out
have been left untouched and now require an intervention in in strict respect of the original building, with minor changes
order to safeguard them from further decay. being made to the structural layout of the building.
5219.3428

5219.3428

2498.4791 3900.1815
530.0000

4001.0000 1392.1259 1440.0000 2540.0000 1440.0000 1392.1259