The legend says that the architects of the sunken Atlantis reached incredible heights in construction and lived up to 150 years. The first confirmation of the underwater finds of marble artifacts of an unknown civilization, and the second one, there is no doubt at all. Sards, the envy of the whole world, live not just long, but very long: the average lifespan is over 80 years.
Specificity of architecture in Sardinia is strictly regulated and subordinated to the task of harmonizing new buildings with a natural environment. Therefore, professionally engaged in development in Sardinia are few. This is a complex and responsible business, compared to which Russian "urban restrictions" - the hymn of developmental freedom
SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT
In order to maintain the delicate balance of nature and human impact on it, the coordination of new construction and the necessary permits in Sardinia are based on the principle "Do no harm". In the historical center in the cities remain in inviolability due to a simple rule - a strict veto for any changes in facades of houses or other elements if closer than 200 meters from the church.
No less strict prohibitions also apply outside the zones of historical and cultural heritage. The rule is no more than two floors.
"The internal territory of Sardinia, with few exceptions, is a conservation area where construction is prohibited or substantially restricted. Implementing development projects in such conditions is a real challenge for architects, engineers, landscape design specialists. Even a chamber villa, not to mention large projects, should not only meet the formal requirements for building, but also the architectural aesthetics should be adopted here," explains Villegium CEO Marco Ferrario.
NATURAL ARCHITECTURE
Perception of elite housing image was formed in Sardinia in the 1960s, when the founder and ideologist of the Costa Smeralda resort, Prince Karim Aga Khan, invited the team of the best architects of Europe to create it. The resort was designed as a luxurious one, so it was decided to create a truly exclusive product. The unique architecture style was born as "custom-made", by the efforts of several masters and in record time. Within few years, town planning was developed and construction of the first hotels and villas began.
It cannot be said, that the development of the "Costa Smeralda architecture" was carried out from scratch. The architects proceeded from Aga Khan guideline - caring attitude to traditions of local architecture and preservation of the island's natural heritage. So the rural architecture of the Sardis was reinterpreted by architects, fascinated by surrealism and other new trends. The architect of the Costa Smeralda Consortium Committee, patronized by the prince, considered every new project from clearly defined rules to protect the environment.
Among those who developed the features of the new architectural style and honed them in the first projects of the Costa Smeralda, the figure of the architect Jacques Quell stands out. By the beginning of the "Sardinian" period, the Frenchman who had already gained worldwide fame had an experience of implementing unusual resort projects. Salvador Dali's friend preferred flowing natural forms and tirelessly experimented Institute of Nature Architecture he created. Quell, who had worked extensively in Sardinia until the age of 95, developed the new direction of "organic architecture" here. It was based on a deep study of the ways of organizing their dwellings by animals (bear lairs, beaver holes, hives and other), analysis of natural structures (such as shells, etc.) and the other oldest examples of architecture.
Sardinia with its nuraghe, granite rocks, under the influence of the winds that have acquired whimsical wavy shapes, an inseparable connection of natural and man-made has become an ideal space for the realization of a new style in architecture - proportional to human and in harmony with the environment.
The successors of Couelle ideas of "organic architecture" were his son Savin and his apprentices. Architects of the Couellean school today involved in the creation of the most prestigious private villas. In particular, architectural and design supervision at the Villa Perla located in Baja Sardinia was carried out by Couelle's student Salvatore Valeri. A member of the Villegium team has put his soul into the project of an elegant chamber house, located on several levels of a picturesque terraced site. "Couelle taught me not to separate space inside and outside the house and start from the existing natural environment. Architecture and interior are one whole, freely communicating vessels. - Salvatore Valeri says. "When I was designing Perla, I followed the traditions of the Couellean school and my sense of space - as an indigenous Sardinian, I sensitively perceive what nature, "asking" for. Opening from the slope inexpressible view of a foggy outline of La Maddalena bay dictated the character of the villa - vaulted ceilings, a lot of wood and custom-made metal elements in the interior. The main character of most rooms - panoramic window. Around - the garden, which I mixed with specially preserved islands of wild greenery: try to distinguish between natural and artificial!"