Gianni Arnaudo firma due nuovi progetti

“Research is a vital factor, and can be done in collaboration with Italian industry, which dedicates a lot of resources to this,” according to Gianni Arnaudo, with whom Casalgrande Padana has collaborated to provide porcelain stoneware tiles for many projects. Indeed, Casalgrande Padana’s research plays an essential role in knitting together the culture of design with that of production.

Castello di Montaldo – Museum Design Hotel

The Castello di Montaldo has a long and complex construction history. Currently home to the four-star Museum Design Hotel, it is a fascinating complex located in the Municipality of Montaldo Torinese. Founded between 1011 and 1038 by Landulf, Bishop of Turin, it was completed in around 1080 by Landulf’s successors Pietro Guidone and Cuniberto. The current appearance of the castle is owed to Carlo Emanuele Ferrero, who - in the 18th century - transformed the castle into a sumptuous villa to be used as his main residence. It was only in the 19th century that the castle was sold to the Jesuits, who made further modifications, resulting in the castle as we know it today. The Barnabites of the Real Collegio Carlo Alberto in Moncalieri, who used the castle from 1861, sold it to the Castello di Montaldo company in 1987.

Arnaudo's design project for the castle completely transformed the space. The idea was not just to create an exclusive “design hotel”, but to build a fully-fledged museum. The communal areas and suites of the hotel feature screens that take guests on a journey through history, with descriptions of the many stunning works of historical and contemporary international design.

However, the transformation had to take into account the rigid nature of the building’s shell and internal walls. It was a challenge to accommodate the needs of the hotel, the addition of a spa and the creation of adequate hospitality and food and drink areas.

For the flooring and coverings, Arnaudo chose the stone-effect porcelain stoneware tiles from the Meteor collection in Grigio. The tiles combine the timeless beauty of natural stone with the impeccable attributes of porcelain stoneware, with every single tile a unique piece.

Flooring: Meteor Grigio

The building is split over four levels. The ground floor is home to the swimming pool and larger wellness facilities, which are connected to the rest of the spa in the attic via a lift offering stunning views. The rest of the floors feature the suites, restaurants and conference rooms.

New Terre da Vino winery

The new Terre da Vino winery sits on a small plateau, protected by hills that surround it in the shape of an amphitheatre, in Barolo, a charming, tiny village located in the Langhe region, in the province of Cuneo. The winery boasts some picturesque vineyards - but it is also a large producer with over 5,000 hectares of vines cultivated by over 2,500 small-scale growers.

Arnaudo showed real sensitivity and innovation in designing the winery, combining the traditions and history of the place with the company's future-oriented approach. The entire complex spans 5,000 square metres, with a clear difference between the main building and the production site. The former is clearly inspired by the rural houses typical of the Langhe region, with compact volumes and lime plastered walls, while the lamellar façade evokes images of the timber frames of the farmhouses that would once have been used to dry corn. The production complex, meanwhile, with the curved lines of its roofing, seems to interact with the rolling hills surrounding the winery, liberated from the anonymous square barn.

The internal flooring and coverings in the winery were made using tiles from the Granito 1 collection in Nebraska and tiles from the Metallica collection in Inox.

Flooring: Granito 1 Nebraska

Metallica Inox

In 2012, the project was presented at the 12th Venice Architecture Biennale, curated by David Chipperfield.

By exploring new ways of thought and showing great sensitivity in understanding the history and traditions of a place, as well as adopting a provocative and innovative style that brings an emotional dimension to the experience of the complex, Arnaudo has been able to show creativity, irony and a touch of genius in creating sophisticated production complexes which deliver a significant visual impact.