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is distributed across three levels. ‘It is a bit of a surprise to discover that the spaces on every floor are structured in very different ways,’ explained Padovan. ‘Te concentric spaces of the ground floor contrast with the majestic corridor of the first and then there is the mass of wooden beams in the loft. We paid close attention to this variety of environments, developing solutions that did not alter the various designs but which strengthened their charm and originality.’
As such, the development of the common spaces on the ground floor emphasised the existing plan of the monastery – located along the central axis is the reception, the breakfast room and a reading room/lounge, all embellished with beautiful rib vault ceilings and surrounded by a long continuous corridor. Te scenery changes on the first floor where the central corridor is lined by ceiling beams, which stretch out to a length of almost 50m. Here, the former monastic cells, aligned along the sides, were joined two-by-two to create larger rooms. In this way, in each room one ‘cell’ constitutes the bedroom, while the other hosts the bathroom. Te old doors, in light wood, were all conserved on the external side, along the hallway, to maintain the striking spectacle of the entrances that dotted the long corridor.
work on the hotel project began in close collaboration with the Trento Office of Cultural Heritage.
Te project consisted of two main phases. First, the renovation and conversion of the monastery and its interiors to become a hotel, achieved by creating common spaces (including reception, lobby, breakfast room, bar area and kitchen) on the ground floor with the rooms mainly distributed between the first floor and the loft. Second, a new wellness area was developed within the gardens, comprising 500m2
of relaxation rooms, treatment
rooms, saunas and a wellness course with steam bath. Francesco Padovan, the noa architect who developed the project, said: ‘It is a refuge that takes you back in time, closely centred around the history and the particular features of this place. And where every construction choice, every material and detail, has been studied to draw on the majesty of the pre-existing context, exalting it and giving it new life.’
With its 40 rooms (including two suites), the underlying idea for the design of the Monastero Arx Vivendi was to maintain the typical monastery architecture, preserving the original design of the internal paths and paying close attention to the choice of materials and colours. ‘It is a design philosophy that guided us and helped us maintain the compositional, static and visual clarity that makes a monastery such a special place,’ said Padovan.
Completely enclosed by a 7m boundary wall with its original appearance preserved, internally the monastery
Monastero Arx Vivendi
Arco, Italy
On the second floor, a large loft area is topped by eye- catching trusses, which host two lines of rooms that open out onto a long central corridor. Te restored wooden trusses pay homage to their original function. At the highest point of the roof, a skylight runs right along the length of the ceiling, not only illuminating the corridor but also the rooms thanks to the transom windows. Newly developed in the monastery garden, the spa consists of seven light glass and metal volumes positioned along a stone spine. Te alternation of glass bodies and green courtyards creates an pattern of advanced and set-back volumes. ‘When designing this area our aim was to create a dialogue more with the surrounding agricultural landscape than with the monastery, a little too ‘powerful’ in architectural terms,’ explains Padovan. ‘To do this we used very simple elements with strong structural clarity. Te light metal framework, organised in pillars and beams, is inspired by the characteristic lemon houses of rural Lake Garda.’ Te interiors maintained the historic attention to detail. Te original ceilings and decorations in the common spaces on the ground floor were conserved and restored, with dominant shades in white, grey and black, the historic colours of the monastery.
Te large breakfast room is dominated by a long central table that recalls the ancient refectory and has smaller tables positioned along the walls. In the bar area and buffet room, a restored well and fireplace have been adapted into buffet islands.
On the first floor, the central corridor has been deliberately left free of furnishings. All of the rooms feature floors in handplaned oak for the bedroom and natural- look tiles for the bathroom. Black has been chosen for the furniture, including that of the bathroom, standing out against the grey of the rooms. Everything is custom- designed, including the metal four-poster beds with black oak inserts.
From top The breakfast room is embellished with a rib vault ceiling; the first floor contains former monastic cells, joined two-by-two to create larger rooms
‘Te design project was guided by our complete respect for the existing architecture,’ explains interior designer Niccolò Panzani of noa, who oversaw the interior design project. ‘Te design was adapted to the austere monastic spaces with tailored solutions, without compromising on comfort, functionality and contemporary aesthetics.’
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