VILLA TANIT-ASTARTE ,
PULA

Located at the tip of Cape Pula, we find the remains of the ancient city of Nora—one of the earliest points of contact between Phoenician traders and the ancient Sardinians.
Among the ruins that survive today, atop a small hill, stand the remnants of the Temple of Tanit, the Goddess of Life, worshipped by the Phoenicians under the name Astarte. According to legend, invoking her name would ensure well-being, harmony, fertility, and abundance.
Tanit is represented by a triangle combined with a disc, symbolizing the birth of the sun, the continuous cycle of day and night, and the eternity tied to the celestial nature of the star.

In Phoenician and Punic symbolism, the triangle is not merely a geometric shape—it is imbued with mysticism, becoming a symbol rich in meaning and mystery, forever linked to the history of this part of the Mediterranean.

At the urban scale, the triangle takes shape once again—this time in the very layout of the site itself, whose triangular form molds and shapes a structure defined by angles and edges. These translate into a balance between welcoming and repelling spaces.
The result is an architecture with an introverted character, closed off toward the street by a facade that acts as a protective barrier to the outside world, and open toward the internal courtyard, reinforcing the intimate sphere of its inhabitants. This "privatization" strengthens the concept of interiority as the essence of private life.

The villa unfolds over three levels—one basement and two above ground—connected by a staircase that forms the "prow" of the building, winding along the dynamic angularity that characterizes the entire project.
The arrangement of the spaces and the rhythm of the openings further reinforce the dual concept of introversion and extroversion: technical rooms and corridors are placed against the wall facing the street (and thus to the north), while the living spaces are south-facing and open onto the internal courtyard.
The north-facing facade is characterized by horizontal light slits, which limit external interaction while still allowing natural light into the adjoining rooms.
In contrast, the south-facing facade is designed with large windows that not only provide ample light but also ensure a continuity—both visual and physical—between the indoor areas and the courtyard and garden that wrap around the building's other sides, enabling a high degree of permeability between indoor and outdoor spaces.

This project is not limited to careful spatial management or the relationship with the surrounding environment. It also pursues innovative solutions, both architectural and technological, rarely seen in Sardinian residential construction.

The result of this research is the creation of a building made with X-LAM panels—a natural material like wood, which remains quite rare and experimental in Sardinian residential architecture.
This project is well-suited to such a pioneering approach and opens the doors of the island to innovation and sustainable architecture.