Torre di Moravola

Coordinates: 43°22′05″N 12°22′36″E / 43.36812°N 12.37678°E / 43.36812; 12.37678

Torre di Moravola

The Torre di Moravola is a 10th-century medieval watch tower built in Umbria, central Italy, to guard the southern approaches of Montone by the Fortebraccio, a condottieri family of the Renaissance. Positioned on a hill top ridge, Madonna di Confine, overlooking the Carpini valley 450 metres above sea level, this strategic site served the dual purposes of holding the high ground and allowing the knights stationed there views of approach routes.

On observing an approaching enemy the knights would signal Montone via line of sight. The warning time was sufficient to allow the citizens of Montone to retreat to defensive positions.

Architecture

Ancillary structures clustered around the central tower housed the garrison's knights and horses. Over the centuries the architecture has reflected the use of the site. Originally a place of worship in the 8th century, additional structures were added for defensive military purposes in the 10th and 12th centuries. Eventually the site was used as a farm with most of the structures falling into disrepair.[1]

Interior staircase.
Path leading to Moravola

In 1999 the site was purchased by architect Christopher Chong and designer Seonaid Mackenzie who embarked into what ultimately became a nine-year renovation program. Chong had worked on larger projects for James Stirling and Norman Foster, an example of which includes the shopping areas of Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok, Hong Kong. Local Italian construction codes required that new structures be confined to the footprints of existing structures and that basic historical attributes be maintained. The original floors and plans of the main tower had long since been lost through the mists of time, giving the design team a free hand to build, so long as the external building's exterior shell was preserved.

Architecture Section and Plan

The architectural methodology[2][3] includes a green approach that neatly integrates with acoustic goals for the property, a spa retreat hotel.[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38] [39][40][41][42][43][44] [45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58] A significant proportion of a building's carbon footprint comes from (a) the manufacture of building materials and (b) the heating and cooling of a building's interior envelope. Reusing the buildings outer shell and foundations reduces the need for new building materials. Heating and cooling is achieved without the need for air conditioning and its associated acoustic noise intrusion. In the summer, the most popular time for visitors, the tower is cooled naturally by three thermodynamic features. The seven tower suites are built around a central staircase tower core, whose height gives rise to natural convection currents that draws cool air from lower levels and exhausts hot air at the rooftop. Secondly, the thermal mass of the 12th-century tower stone exterior provides a thermodynamic reservoir, absorbing energy during the day, and releasing that energy during the cooler nights. Finally the location of the tower on a hill top ridge allows it to escape the higher temperatures of the valley below.

Terrace overlooking Carpini valley.
Swimming pool

The swimming pool is located on a higher elevation, south of the main tower building (see section and plan). The pool walls are painted the unusual color black, to enhance the optical properties of the pool's infinity edge. The tower, when viewed from the south poolside pavilion, is seen to be rising as if from a castle moat. Solar evacuated tube collectors are used to provide pool and building heating efficiently, due to the near optimal thermal load matching of solar energy in low temperature difference applications.

Local building materials were used where ever possible, in particular Pietra Serena, a blue grey stone from a local quarry. This stone is the same as used on the floors of Apple stores worldwide. The use of local stone, stone being a relatively heavy building material, has a significant reduction on trucking costs and environmental impact. One of the more novel uses of Pietra Serena is for the sinks and baths. In order to achieve the high precision required CNC machine tools were used to custom cut and shape solid stone blocks. The use of stone floors also allows for the use of a hydronic underfloor heating system, with the advantages of silent operation and good efficiency, because of the emissivity and absorpivity of stone.

Interior stairs in the duplex suites make use of materials originally engineered for exterior applications. The custom designed stairs are constructed of COR-TEN B steel (ASTM A 588), giving them a durable rustic appearance. The rustic theme is also mirrored in the wood grain patterns imprinted in the concrete walls. All concrete structures are constructed using concrete forms, usually these forms are made of steel. The resulting finish of steel shuttered concrete can be extremely precise, an example of which is Tadao Ando's Church of the Light. The cost is however high, because each steel form needs to be custom made, and then positioned accurately. Moravola's walls used wooden forms, which in addition to the cost savings, allowed easy fabrication within the existing historical 10th-century structure.

The Tower interiors have been restored with a modernistic design approach that complement auxiliary buildings, terraces and pool areas to create a contemporary retreat.[59][60][61][62][63] The structures are aligned on an axis with the Tower to maximize panoramic views over the Carpini valley, a view unchanged since medieval times, enchanting in its quiet beauty; an escape from the modern world.

Notes

  1. ↑ Moravola, Bill Thayer, University of Chicago. Umbria, Italy website
  2. ↑ de zeen magazine. Torre di Moravola by Christopher Chong. 18 June 2013.
  3. ↑ Inhabitat. Torre di Moravola: Christopher Chong Converts a 12th Century Watchtower into a Boutique Hotel. Tafline Laylin. 06/9/2013.
  4. ↑ Travel + Leisure, A Hotel in an Umbrian Watchtower, October 2007, Maria Shollenbarger.
  5. ↑ Conde Nast Traveller magazine, September 2008, United Kingdom, pp. 67–68, "All about the watchtower", Lee Marshall
  6. ↑ Vogue (magazine) USA, December 2008, Conde Nast Publications, pp. 257–258, "Into the Heights", Richard Alleman
  7. ↑ Club 21, thirty five years of fabulous style, p. 36. Club 21's Hot 21, What's Hot and Whats Not.
  8. ↑ Maison's Cote Sud, Roularta, Numero 114, October–November 2008. Eternel retour. Laurence Dougier
  9. ↑ La Perla, Numero 5, Fall Winter 07–08. pp. 73–75. A Tower For Two.
  10. ↑ iO Donna, RCS MediaGroup, No. 36. 2007, p. 211. relax settembrino, Mariateresa Montaruli.
  11. ↑ Financial Times. how to spent it. May 2007. A very particular place to go. Julian Allason.
  12. ↑ Conde Nast Brides UK. March/April 2009. pp. 318-320. real weddings. la dolce vita. Wedding of Charlotte Sinclair and Benjamin Caron, Umbria, August 2008.
  13. ↑ Ulisse, Alitalia in flight magazine. August 2008. pp. 69-79. Terra Della Promessa. The Land of Life-long vows.
  14. ↑ Point De Vue. No. 3181. 14 July 2009. pp. 56-59. Univers d’été TORRE DI MORAVOLA Entre ciel et pierre.
  15. ↑ WirtschaftsBlatt. 05.06.2009. Im Turn. Arno Maierbrugger.
  16. ↑ Stylist, Issue 27. 28 April 2010. pp, 47. VIP Villas, Laura Dixion.
  17. ↑ The Independent, Traveller's Guide: Umbria. June 11, 2011, Julius Honnor.
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  19. ↑ Inside Art, 11 Numeri, Guido Talarico Editore. Un paradiso nascosto nell'eremo medievale. August 3, 2011. Sophie Cnapelynck.
  20. ↑ Le Figaro, Escales nature, Sandrine Bouvet and Vanessa Houpert. 26 avril, 2011.
  21. ↑ Dolce Vita. International Getaways: Beautiful Architecture. September 16, 2011. Michael Hill. Dolce Publishing Inc. Ontario, Canada.
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  25. ↑ Suite, Numero 149, p. 34, Agosto 2010. Lucia Uggè. Storie: Torre di Moravola. BE-MA Editrice, Milano, Italy.
  26. ↑ Conde Nast Traveller, May 2009. The Hot List 2009. Our choice of the world's best new hotels. p. 54, Torre di Moravola, Umbria.
  27. ↑ Hôtels de Charme, Décembre 2008, Film Concept Associés, 19 Rue Etienne d'Orves, 93500 Pantin, France.
  28. ↑ House & Garden UK, Smart Travel, La Dolce Vita Revisited. Catherine Zachariou. April 2011. pp. 114-117.
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  30. ↑ The Huffington Post, Travel. Just the two of us: The best hotels for couples. August 20, 2012.
  31. ↑ Flair, fashion & home, Mediengruppe Klambt / Mondadori. Travel in Style. Torre Di Moravola in Umbrien. Chris and Oliver Laugsch. September, 2012.
  32. ↑ Goop.com, Gwyneth Paltrow. Issue 187 - go, Escapes Umbria, Torre di Moravola. July 12, 2012.
  33. ↑ The Independent, Future perfect in ancient Italy. Room Service. Christina Patterson. Saturday 16, March 2013.
  34. ↑ Financial Times, From Venice and Milan to Tuscany and Sicily: our pick of the best Italian openings. Claire Wrathall. October 17, 2009.
  35. ↑ GQ. Experiencia Jaguar F-Type: Viajes de alta costura. Jose Luis Díez Garde, Martes, 4 Junio 2013.
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  46. ↑ Director magazine. Road Trip, The Road to Rome, Gareth Herincx. p 92. Institute of Directors. September 2013.
  47. ↑ Travel + Leisure, 4 Italian Hotel Rooms With a View. Valerie Waterhouse, November 2009.
  48. ↑ Jaguar Club News, Ńuméro 31, Édition 2/2013. Événement Jaguar F-Type <<Style De Vie>> En Italie. Claudia Nussbaumer, p12.
  49. ↑ Les Échos, Lifestyle>Voyages>Chambres avec vue, Le Choix de Tablet Hotels : La Torre di Moravola, Ombrie, Italie. 17/01/2014.
  50. ↑ L'Express, Styles > Mariage, EN IMAGES. Dix hôtels pour un voyage de noces en Italie. Mélanie Perrot, publié 09/02/2014.
  51. ↑ Modern Lady, Metroer.com suyika (2014-04-09). "来自佩鲁贾的阳光". Life.metroer.com. Retrieved 2014-04-09.
  52. ↑ Cheil Worldwide. New Insight, The Restaurant with 'Soul' vs. the Restaurant without 'Soul.' Cheil, January 2014. Vol. 456. Eunyoung Koh. p 13.
  53. ↑ The Sydney Morning Herald. Life & Style. Upfront. We need Gwyneth. Christine Jackman. April 12, 2014.
  54. ↑ The Wall Street Journal, The Fashion Insiders Guide to Holiday Packing. Jake Gallagher. Dec 19, 2014.
  55. ↑ The Times, Italy, 20 best places to stay in Umbria. Annabelle Thorpe. August 16, 2014.
  56. ↑ El Mundo Un viaje de Carlota Casiraghi. miércoles 19/06/2013. Carmen Duerto.
  57. ↑ Air France Madame, Une Tour en Italie. At one with Umbria. Sabine Bouvet, photos Roberta Valero. No. 159, April.May 2014. pp 178-185.
  58. ↑ Condé Nast Traveller, Italy's 8 smartest country estates. August 13, 2015.
  59. ↑ Ville Giardini. Nella torre zen. Testo Di Marco Biagi. Maggio 2009. pp. 62-72.
  60. ↑ Ville & Casali, No. 4, 2010. Modernismo medioevale. Cristina Gattamorta. pp. 42-50.
  61. ↑ Tribù 2014 outdoor furniture catalogue and video. Tribù NV, Langendijkstraat 5a, 3690 Zutendaal, Belgium.
  62. ↑ Vimar S.p.A., Torre di Moravola, catalogue lighting reference. Sertec di Cocchi Gianluca, Via Canale, 27, 10078 - Venaria, Torino. Italy.
  63. ↑ Gessi S.p.A. International project reference, Torre di Moravola. Parco Gessi, 13037 Serravalle Sesia, Vercelli, Italy.

External links

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