Patio y jardín de Villa Franchi Borella, Municipio de Grandate Como (Italia)

Courtyard and Garden of Villa Franchi Borella, Municipality of Grandate (CO)

DESIGNERS: Abad Architetti Milano (Alessandro Bianchi and Andrea Pirollo)
COLLABORATORS: Elena Spiga, Andrea Asti
PROJECT STATUS: Completion in August 2024
CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES: Bianchi Geom. Dante S.R.L. (Como)
PROJECT COST: €300,000
PLAYGROUND: Proludic Italia

PHOTOS: Alessandro Bianchi

The project focuses on the redevelopment of Villa Franchi Borella and its surrounding areas, including the courtyard and garden. A new "plaza" in the courtyard connects the villa's indoor and outdoor activities, aiming to create a space that fosters social interaction. The garden is linked to the library by a new staircase integrated into the landscape, connecting the expansive green parterre to the courtyard above, where a play area for younger children has also been established.

The courtyard is located within the Villa Franchi Borella complex, a 19th-century building that serves as the town hall and library, and is architecturally well-defined. It is bordered on three sides by the villa, while the south side overlooks a retaining wall protecting the belvedere, offering a panoramic view of the landscape below. Unfortunately, this view is marred by industrial developments and a highway, though it still evokes the memory of an extraordinary natural setting.

Currently, the courtyard is not perceived as a potential meeting place, plaza, or social hub for the community. Its physical dislocation, being somewhat peripheral to the developed urban fabric, partly contributes to this isolation. For these reasons, the goal of the municipality and the designers was to reconnect the historic villa with the residential area to the east, creating a gathering space where citizens can come together.

Access to the courtyard area is through an elegant portal and a subsequent portico with granite columns and three cross-vaulted ceilings, which gracefully welcome visitors. A second pedestrian entrance is located on the north side of the building, along Via Como, through a small atrium adjacent to the municipal council chamber. This atrium, cleared of existing additions, now serves as a public passageway between the sidewalk and the new courtyard plaza, offering a clear perspective towards the landscape between the lowlands of Como and the hills of Brianza.

The courtyard, previously covered with loose gravel over natural ground and bordered by recently constructed cobblestone edges, has been repaved with an eco-compatible, draining mosaic made of single-grain aggregate. The color palette, ranging from sandy hues to gray, harmonizes with the surrounding materials, such as the granite of the columns. A uniform cast covers the courtyard, except for a central rectangle of natural ground covered with fine gravel. This central area is framed by a grid of serizzo stone strips that align with the architectural elements of the courtyard, in agreement with the heritage authorities. At the heart of the gravel rectangle stands a monumental plane tree, officially listed as a heritage tree, flanked by two large magnolias. These significant green elements enhance the courtyard's aesthetic appeal and help mitigate the microclimate, especially on hot summer days.

Along the historic wall marking the southern edge of the courtyard, which forms the upper boundary of the underlying green area, a new railing has been installed. Integrated into its structure are commemorative plaques bearing the names of individuals who were imprisoned during World War II in Nazi-Fascist detention camps or held as prisoners of Allied forces. The names are laser-cut into the steel plaques, and at night, a linear LED light positioned along the rear edge of the wall illuminates them, creating a dramatic commemorative effect. This lighting technique imbues the space with the solemnity befitting a memorial, casting sharp light to honor those who gave their lives for freedom.

A double-flight staircase connects the courtyard to the garden below, centered on the entrance to the recently refurbished municipal library. To encourage greater use of the garden, a functional feature has been introduced at the lower end of the lawn: a play area for younger children, shaded by 20-year-old trees that provide relief on hot summer days. Lastly, a new landscape staircase, made with wooden-formwork steps and calcestre treads, links the library's sidewalk to the play area, which then connects to the existing panoramic ramp leading to the parking area.