An Italian Getaway in the Style of an Atelier

On the southernmost point of Salento, Italy, architects Ludovica and Roberto Palomba of Palomba+Serafina Associati reimagined the 19th-century Palazzo Daniele as an artistic, authentic space.

Words by Lark Breen

Photos by Adrian Gaut

August 4, 2022

“The room itself becomes the setting of life, past and present, our memory and those that have lived it before us,” architects Roberto and Ludovica Palomba say.

Located in Gagliano del Capo, Palazzo Daniele, a boutique hotel, unfolds in a series of courtyards with rooms facing inwards, promoting a dual sense of reflection and desire to create anew. Absence is at the core of the restoration, as the architects aimed to create a sense of detachment. “A few elements of functional furniture are still contextualized and connected to the artworks exposed in a game of references that wants to highlight the sanctity of absence,” the architects say.

Apart from the restored historical features, including ornate frescoes and mosaic flooring, the spaces within Palazzo Daniele are stripped back as much as possible.

Minimal furniture and lighting complement the cracked, bare walls to create contemplative space.

The restoration was intended as a sort of macro-scale atelier, where studios, bedrooms, and common areas intermingle, become available, or fade to the background according to the momentary needs of artists and residents. It is meant to be a place where people don’t just visit, but live and experience an authentic space.

Art remains a central feature of Palazzo Daniele, as each room features unique artworks as part of a permanent, ever-growing collection.

Functional installations include a light box by Simon D’Exea, which illuminates most of the rooms.

In the bathrooms, a shower installation designed by Andrea Sala features an archaic water source that rains into a large basin from the 6-meter high ceiling.

Painted walls fade to bare ones. Functional spaces and artistic minimalism mix with decadent remnants of the 19th century. “Even the room itself becomes the setting of life, past and present, our memory and those that have lived it before us,” say the architects.

Inspired by its location on the promontory separating the Adriatic and Ionian seas, detachment and connection, past and present, interchange freely in Palazzo Daniele.