VIA ADA NEGRI, CAGLIARI

The project site, located in an infill area within the consolidated urban fabric, is characterized by a lack of identity and the chaotic coexistence of buildings—including a classical dance school—constructed in different periods, with starkly contrasting typological and morphological features. This mix produces an alternating landscape of valuable elements and episodes in need of redevelopment and adaptation.

The peculiarity of the lot lies in its position at the end of the street, on the outer side of a sharp bend in the road network.

Inspired by the dynamism of classical dance, the design creates a scenic backdrop to the street, breaking the rigidity of the urban layout through soft curved lines, while also providing a clear and visually satisfying end point to the road.

The placement of the new building within the urban lot was dictated by the configuration of the surrounding structures: on one side, the presence of a blank party wall necessitated a "built-to-line" solution, flush with the street; on the adjacent side, an access path required the building to be set back from the property line.

The resulting volume becomes the "end unit" of a row of buildings, adhering on one side and retreating from the borders on the remaining three. This layout increased the degree of architectural freedom and expanded the range of visual perspectives from the public road.

The building’s form was shaped by these contextual constraints, along with the desire to create a distinctive structure—one that could lend identity and recognizability to the project and the urban setting in which it stands.

These considerations led to the realization of a contemporary building, characterized by clean yet assertive lines, with attention to detail, material selection, and finishes—all aimed at achieving high standards of architectural, compositional, and performance quality.

In the design of the façades, the intent was to give formal expression to the balconies, which are essential elements in the residential architecture of a Mediterranean city like Cagliari. These balconies are embedded within the volume and create concave curvilinear forms, with diaphanous railings in both style and material, in line with the goal of enhancing the façade design.

The verticality of the façade is further emphasized by the addition of a perforated sail, cast in place using a mix of regular and lightweight reinforced concrete. This sculptural element rests gracefully on the main elevation and anchors onto a plastic, sinuous canopy, completing the architectural backdrop and bridging the spatial gap with the adjacent lot along Via Ada Negri.

The architectural composition seeks a balance between opposing elements: squared, regular forms versus flowing, plastic shapes; the solidity of material components against the lightness of diaphanous ones; horizontal continuity emphasized by ceramic cladding in horizontal bands highlighted with steel strips, contrasted with the vertical momentum of the monolithic sail; and the continuity between internal communal spaces and external shared areas.

Thus, the building emerges as a new urban backdrop for Via Ada Negri, gradually revealing itself to the observer approaching along the street, enhancing the perspective experience. Once completed, the intervention becomes easily recognizable, suspended between the human scale of the consolidated urban core and the broader presence of a medium-sized urban apartment building.

The construction project consists of a residential building with fifteen housing units of various sizes distributed across four above-ground levels, plus a penthouse level and a basement housing a shared garage and storage units.

The search for reliable and innovative solutions extended beyond aesthetics and form. It influenced all aspects of the building design, especially the technological systems and materials chosen to exceed the minimum requirements of current regulations in terms of: climatic comfort, energy efficiency, and thermal and acoustic insulation. Overall, the project favored high-performance, certified materials, prioritizing local and low-impact suppliers whenever possible.