On the occasion of the first edition of the Venice Climate Week and in the context of the Venice Architecture Biennale, Sanlorenzo Arts inaugurated Casa Sanlorenzo, a cultural and artistic laboratory that spans time, starting from the roots of historical memory, up to more contemporary and innovative forms, culturally and architecturally.
Casa Sanlorenzo, located in front of the Basilica Santa Maria della Salute, is a new space, with an unconventional approach that arises from the belief that, today, a brand like Sanlorenzo, an international leader in luxury yachting, can no longer limit itself to producing excellent products, but must take on an active cultural role.
Dynamic and inclusive architecture to promote diversity and sustainability
Restored by the visionary creativity of architect Piero Lissoni with the studio Lissoni & Partners, its mission is to be a center for research and experimentation, where artists can explore new forms of expression and where the dialogue between art and society becomes a driver of change.
The building, which extends over approximately 1000 m600, with a garden of approximately XNUMX mXNUMX, houses two interconnected spaces
Namely: Casa Sanlorenzo, a private apartment, and over seven hundred square meters, together with the outdoor space, dedicated to exhibitions, shows and the Sanlorenzo contemporary art collection, an ever-evolving collection that spans a broad time span, from 1965 to today. The collection reflects the cultural and artistic transformations of recent decades, acting as a bridge between generations of artists and current aesthetic trends.
The restoration
Casa Sanlorenzo is located inside a 40s residence, whose original architecture has been preserved through targeted structural interventions. The location, in front of the Basilica Santa Maria della Salute, adds design value, and the large surrounding garden, a rarity in Venice, further enriches the environment. The restoration of the building was also designed to honor its historical soul. The brick facades have been enhanced and some original elements, such as part of the floors, have been preserved. Where recovery was not possible, the spaces have been reinterpreted with a contemporary architectural language, which enhances the exhibition function, creating a flexible and welcoming environment.
One of the most innovative elements of the project is the glass staircase
Technological and transparent, the staircase recalls the pre-existing geometries but is rethought in the materials (glass and steel), giving lightness to the spaces and dialoguing with the original materials and those of new introduction. Concrete floors alternate with those in Palladiana and Portoro, while the white walls highlight the works of art on display. An adaptive lighting system allows to modulate the light according to the needs of the exhibitions, improving the visitor experience.
The bridge, in perfect harmony with Venetian aesthetics
A key element of the restoration is the bridge that connects Casa Sanlorenzo to the surrounding area. Also designed by Lissoni & Partners, it is not just a passage architecture, but an ideal bridge with a profound cultural function. Its contemporary structure, inspired by the pre-existing one, was designed to be sophisticated and technological, maintaining a strong link with Venetian history.
"I think the opportunity to build a bridge in Venice for Sanlorenzo Arts is more unique than rare. The bridge is in fact an incredibly complex architectural scale and for me it also carries a series of other meanings”, explained Piero Lissoni, Art Director Sanlorenzo. “In addition to connecting two different points, the bridge connects different worlds. It is no coincidence that the expressions 'create cultural bridges' and 'realize human bridges' are used. For me, this bridge is not simply a machine for transporting people, but a cultural bridge, an ideal bridge”.
Made entirely of prefabricated and pre-assembled metal, the bridge features a surface in Istrian stone, typical of the lagoon city, and a wooden handrail worked as if it were an oar, to highlight the connection with the water. Its “donkey’s back” shape recalls medieval bridges, while the metal arch expresses a simple and linear aesthetic. Technologically advanced, the bridge uses calendering for the metal part, with steps in classic Venetian masegni in Istrian stone, treated to prevent slipping. The metal has been protected against local atmospheric elements, maintaining a refined aesthetic.
"Our goal with Casa Sanlorenzo is to offer a reference point for initiatives related to the world of Sanlorenzo Arts, a container designed with the aim of celebrating and supporting the union between art, design and culture, where innovation and creativity can flourish without limits.”, declared Massimo Perotti, Executive Chairman of Sanlorenzo. “Casa Sanlorenzo becomes the place where you enter to stop, reflect and share. A space of research, where art does not decorate, but questions. Where design does not impress, but accompanies. Where beauty is never an end in itself, but the bearer of an ethic. In an increasingly virtual world, we wanted to invest in presence, in encounters, in experience. Because we believe that authenticity needs matter, time, glances. And Venice represents the perfect place for this project.”
Sanlorenzo icon of Made in Italy
For over 60 years Sanlorenzo has been aicon of Made in Italy recognized worldwide, thanks to the production of motor yachts tailor-made and top-of-the-range, which combine quality, design and craftsmanship with the most advanced and sustainable engineering and technological solutions.
The shipyard, the first single-brand in the world in the production of yachts and superyachts over 24m, was founded in 1958 in Limite sull'Arno, near Florence, by two master shipwrights, Gianfranco Cecchi and Giuliano Pecchia. In 1972 it was taken over by Giovanni Jannetti, and the headquarters were transferred to Viareggio, before being moved again to Ameglia (SP) in 1999. In 2005, Massimo Perotti – with twenty years of experience in the sector – takes over the baton by purchasing the company. Under his management, Sanlorenzo experiences extraordinary growth: net revenues from new yachts will go from 42 million Euros in 2004 to 930 million Euros in 2024. In 2019, the Company is listed on the Euronext STAR Milan segment of the Italian Stock Exchange. Today, the Sanlorenzo Yacht (24 to 40 m in composite) and Superyacht (44 to 73 m in metal) Business Units are distributed across 6 shipyards: La Spezia, Ameglia, Viareggio, Massa and Arbatax (in Sardinia) and Pisa. The Group's activity is also divided into the Bluegame Business Unit (13 to 23 metres in composite) and the Nautor Swan Business Unit (sailing yachts, in carbon fibre and composite, 13 to 39 metres, 44 metres in aluminium and motor yachts, in composite, 13 to 23 metres, as well as the ClubSwan Racing division, dedicated to the organisation of sports activities, and Nautor Swan Global Service, dedicated to refits).
