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MAGYAR
POLSKI |
The town of Abano Terme is known to everyone who has ever gone to the spa area around Padua. To call Montegrotto Terme the kid sister of Abano would, however, led to confusion as it has grown enormously in recent years. The area has after all enough experience as the ancient Romans favoured the thermal waters in the sumptuously fitted public baths of Montegrotto. The location now also has quite a lot to offer in terms of architecture.
However, people also have to be able to live and go shopping in places where hotels and the Ita-lian version of wellness centres, the “Centri benessere all´avanguardia”, are found side by side. This was the thinking of Carmine Diaferio, when he had a special building constructed on a site of 11,000 sq. m in Montegrotto Terme. “We wanted right from the start to prevent that the area was deserted at the weekend or at night”, says Carmine Diaferio. “For this reason, a building, which had a good mixture, was what we and the municipal administration were aiming for: there are ten shops and businesses, 15 offices, two bars and restaurants as well as 33 private apartments, ranging from single-room to multi-bedroom apartments on three levels.” A building in other words, which meets all the requirements of urban life – this was also to be reflected in the architecture. “The use of perforated sheeting for railings and balcony panellings represents this openness”, explains Carmine Diaferio. “In addition, the perforated sheeting serves as privacy protection. After all, the building borders on a prestigious square, on which they are many people during the day.”
Be able to see – but retain one’s privacy: this property of perforated sheeting is a recurrent motif in the long wish list of architects and building owners. “The perforated sheeting on the building”, explains Carmine Diaferio, “is basically like the classic window shutters which are much loved in Italy. Perforated sheeting ensures the desired privacy protection, but at the same time lets more light into the room. The classic use of perforated sheeting was again important to us for the balconies and staircase handrails. Perforated sheeting as an attractive, modern, as well as technically effec-tive material, which is also low maintenance and can be easily installed, quickly proved itself to be the best option.” Building materials primarily from the region were used so that the building would fit in with its surroundings: stone, timber, bricks and plaster. The now built new architecture is in harmony with the philosophy of “benessere” (well-being): as it also has a positive effect on the body, mind and spirit, which is expressed by means of a cosy, intimate living and home feeling.
