Adjacent to the Historic Center of Cagliari, nestled between Via Dante and Via Sonnino, lies an area rich in potential, urbanized during the 1920s and 1930s as part of the expansion of the historic Villanova district. This area, abundant in high-value monuments—such as the Basilica of San Saturnino (5th–6th century), the Church of San Lucifero (1646–1682), a Roman necropolis, and an early Christian necropolis—and significant public spaces (Piazza S. Cosimo and Piazza Martiri delle Foibe), currently holds a marginal role in tourist flows and remains outside the social dynamics of the rest of the city.

At the heart of this urban sector stands Palazzo Doglio.

Palazzo Doglio is the building occupying an entire trapezoidal block bordered by Via Logudoro, Vico I Logudoro, Via Goceano, and Via Nuoro. It extends over four to five above-ground levels and one underground floor.

Built around the mid-1920s, after a period of abandonment and consequent deterioration, it underwent a radical renovation in 1986 to house the offices of the Prefecture.

The restoration method used at the time enabled the recovery and/or reconstruction of the original Liberty-style decorative elements adorning the street-facing facades, which are typical features of Cagliari’s modern architectural identity from the late 19th to early 20th century.

The rebirth of Palazzo Doglio begins with the creation of an ultra-luxury hotel, designed to serve as a public attractor and catalyst for the area's development, integrated with high-end residential and commercial spaces.

The renovation of Palazzo Doglio primarily involved transforming the building’s private internal courtyard into a public square, including:

• redesigning and creating architectural elements on the facades facing the new urban space,

• creating a "corsello" (passageway) that serves as the entrance to the new square,

• renovating the facades bordering the public streets,

• constructing a new penthouse level by redesigning the existing attics.

The building's façade was repainted, changing from a bright yellow to a sophisticated color carefully chosen to harmonize with the complex while adding a contemporary touch and ensuring the project’s immediate recognizability.

In the area facing Piazza Ichnusa, volumetric continuity was restored through the use of a corsello connecting two previously disjointed building sections at the third floor. This was done by reinterpreting the lines and stylistic features that characterize the original building. The new volume, together with the urban staircase, acts as a frame and the main gateway to the newly configured public square, which is designed as a permeable space open to public and social events. The new interior square, complete with fountains, arcades, and trees, is inspired by the urban courtyards typical of luxury urban resorts found across Italy.

The facades facing the square saw the restoration of balconies typical of popular housing known as casa di ringhiera, which had been demolished during the 1986 renovation. These balconies have now been reimagined as monumental elements serving both the residential units and hotel rooms, all while respecting the building’s original architectural and compositional character.

At ground level, arcades have been built to meet the needs of commercial establishments (mainly high-end restaurants and luxury boutiques) and the hotel lobby. These arcades are consistent in size, color, and finish with the existing architectural typologies.

The planned modifications to the building’s roof structure—mainly the redesign of attic spaces now used for technical installations—are not visible from the street or the internal courtyard. Every newly introduced element in the redesigned internal courtyard—whether it be a restoration of previously demolished components (like the balconies) or a new addition supporting the building’s updated functions (like the arcades, furnishings, or restructured attics)—has been meticulously designed to integrate harmoniously and coherently with the original building, so as not to appear as foreign or incongruous.

The renovation of Palazzo Doglio, made possible through a program agreement, marks a significant turning point in the enhancement of surrounding public spaces, including plazas, monuments, and a theater.

The nearby streets, now repaved with granite, will contribute to an architectural renewal of the area and enable the creation of low-speed vehicular zones, fostering the development of a new pedestrian-centered social life.

On Vico I Logudoro, where the hotel entrance is located, a new pedestrian public space made of basalt and granite—called the "Linear Square"—will be created. This space will host sculptures and water features, acting as a connective element between the area’s various highlights.

Piazza Ichnusa, the road junction giving access to the new square, will be requalified with new paving and the enhancement of the roundabout through the placement of a monumental olive tree.

Lighting plays a central role, acting as a unifying element among the various renewal features.

Starting from a context where nighttime lighting was minimal and served only vehicular circulation, the intervention creates an environment where light helps reintegrate the area into the city's broader life dynamics.

The important early Christian Basilica and the 17th-century Church, through a carefully planned lighting design that emphasizes their defining features, once again emerge within the public squares—not as mere background elements but as central highlights. Together with the lighting of the Palazzo and the new pedestrian spaces, they help shape a new hub of interest within the city.