01 - Palazzo Doglio

Adjacent to the historic center of Cagliari, in the area between Via Dante and Via Sonnino, lies a zone rich in potential. This area was urbanized during the 1920s and 1930s as part of the expansion of the historic Villanova district. It is home to numerous valuable monuments—including the Basilica of San Saturnino (5th–6th century), the Church of San Lucifero (1646–1682), a Roman necropolis, and an early Christian one—as well as important public spaces such as Piazza S. Cosimo and Piazza Martiri delle Foibe. Despite this, the area currently plays a marginal role in the city’s tourist flows and is disconnected from the social dynamics of the broader urban context.

Centrally located in this urban sector is Palazzo Doglio.

Palazzo Doglio occupies an entire trapezoidal block bordered by Via Logudoro, Vico I Logudoro, Via Goceano, and Via Nuoro. It originally developed over four to five above-ground levels and a basement.

Constructed in the mid-1920s, after a period of neglect and consequent decay, the building underwent a radical renovation in 1986 for use as the Prefecture offices.

The renovation approach at that time allowed for the recovery and/or reconstruction of the original Liberty-style decorative elements that adorned the street-facing facades—distinctive features of early 20th-century modern Cagliari.

The revival of the Palazzo begins with the creation of a luxury hotel, acting as a catalyst for public engagement and the revitalization of the area, integrated with upscale residential and high-quality commercial spaces.

The building renovation primarily involves converting the formerly private internal courtyard into a public square, including: the redesign and addition of architectural elements on the facades overlooking the new civic space; the creation of the "corsello," an entrance gateway to the square; the restoration of facades facing the public streets; and the construction of a new attic floor, reconfiguring existing lofts.

The façade colors have shifted from bright yellow to a more elegant tone, carefully selected to harmonize with the building complex while introducing a touch of modernity and instant recognizability to the project.

Facing Piazza Ichnusa, continuity in the building’s massing has been restored through the use of a corsello connecting two now-separated parts of the building at the third-floor level. This element echoes the building’s original lines and motifs. The new volume, together with the urban stairway, frames and serves as the main entrance to the new public square, conceived as an open, permeable space suited to public and social events. The newly designed square, furnished with fountains, porticoes, and trees, evokes the urban courtyards of resort-style developments across the peninsula.

The facades facing the square have seen the restoration of balconies typical of "casa di ringhiera" (traditional working-class housing), which were demolished during the 1986 renovation. These have now been reimagined as monumental elements serving both the residential units and hotel rooms, in line with the architectural and compositional features of the complex.

On the ground floor, arcades have been designed to accommodate commercial needs (mainly dining and luxury retail) and the hotel’s lobby. These arcades are consistent in size, color, and finish with the typological and architectural character of the original building.

Changes to the roof, mainly involving the reconfiguration of attic spaces now designated for technical use, are not visible from the public street or the internal courtyard. Every new element added to the courtyard—whether the restored balconies, the newly introduced loggias, furniture, or attic modifications—has been meticulously designed to integrate harmoniously with the existing structure, so as not to appear foreign but as a natural extension of the original building.

The renovation of the Palazzo, made possible through a planning agreement, has marked a turning point in the enhancement of the surrounding public spaces, which include piazzas, monuments, and a theater.

Nearby streets have been repaved with granite, enabling both architectural renewal and the creation of low-traffic zones to foster pedestrian-friendly social spaces.

On Vico I Logudoro, where the hotel entrance is located, a new public pedestrian space in basalt and granite will be created, named Piazza Lineare. It will host sculptural works and water features, becoming a connecting element between various landmarks.

Piazza Ichnusa, a major access point to the new square, will be requalified with new paving and a redesigned roundabout featuring a monumental olive tree.

Light plays a leading role in the project, acting as a unifying thread across the different renewal elements.

Starting from a context where nighttime lighting was nearly absent and served only vehicular circulation, the new design creates an environment where light reactivates the area's integration into the city's life.

The important paleochristian Basilica and the 17th-century church are reintroduced as focal points in public spaces through carefully designed lighting that highlights their key features, making them dominant landmarks once again rather than peripheral elements. Combined with the illumination of the Palazzo and the new pedestrian areas, this creates a newly defined zone of civic and cultural interest.