Mid-term: discipline and efficiency
At the beginning of the programme, I explained to my HE how much I wanted to work on different scales of projects and to know the forms of management that each one required. This mid-term period has been the time to discover them. As architecture is an artistic field, projects can sometimes get prolonged considerably in the idealisation and work of concepts. HE helped and guided me on how to keep a constant work rhythm and taught me how to synthesize architectural proposals to deliver concrete and fast architectural offers to investors and professionals in charge.
This period was marked by two major projects that HE entrusted me with. The first was Battipaglia, Torre Ray. Here we worked on the concept and architectural development of a dilapidated building in an industrial area of the city of Battipaglia. The investors were looking for a community space for conference rooms, exhibitions and office space. As with any restoration project in Italy, it must have a strong understanding of the elements that give the building its historical value. Once that study and the budget discussions with the investors were done, we started working on concepts with a special focus on footage and forms that allow for a low-cost construction and management of the building. Renovation can be a big investment, but if you take into account factors such as the number of levels to design and repair or project spaces that result in later financing of the site, the project can have good groundwork that justifies the investment.
Site visit to Torre Ray, Battipaglia, for controlling measurements and get a greater idea of the place.
Restoration schema
Final proposal 3D
The second project was Lungo Mare, a great challenge and a lot of learning. HE contacted the mayor of the commune of Castellabate, in the Cilento region, and they agreed that the studio of Centola & Associatti could manage the renovations of various buildings and public areas of the town. The Lungo mare project is an urban-architectural development proposal for the enhancement of an archaeological site located on the coastal edge of Santa Maria di Castellabate. This has meant to me an exceptional connection with the place in different ways. From the history and the knowledge of its culture to the current local technologies.
Site-visit to Lungo Mare, Santa Maria di Castellabate
Design process with notes from the HE
Final proposal 3D, Lungo Mare
I should mention that in the meantime, while we were working on large projects, smaller offers came in, such as minor bathroom and kitchen renovations. HE entrusted me with these projects to work on quickly, in the course of a few mornings. I will never forget when he said to me: “It may not be the most fun for an architect, but someone has to do it”. I think there is a lot of value in this comment. As an entrepreneur it is always good to take all project offers, as those minor ones can also mean important financial inputs at the end of the day. Besides, there will always be tasks that will not be favourites, such as all the bureaucracy that a company requires.
Djina Prat, Luigi Centola, Francisca Calderon. 24th May 2024
As soon as the good weather (or the uncontrollable heat) started, family and friends came to meet me and share a bit of the experience. Their visit motivated me to discover even more the region where we have been working, exploring the history and culture through the flavour and activities of each place. So far, each event has been unique and a learning experience. Looking forward to continuing on this course!
