The re-functionalization design for the Villa Mater complex in Rivoli advances an evolved vision for senior living, based on the combination of historical memory and social innovation. The intervention reinstates centrality to a place of great architectural and symbolic value, transforming it into an open, sustainable and active longevity-oriented housing hub.

The complex, whose origins can be traced back to the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, has been reinterpreted with a respectful contemporary gaze: indeed, the project moves from the preservation of the historic identity of the villa and its spaces, enhancing its architectural quality, its connection with the park and its dialogue with the urban context. The ribbed vault – a distinctive architectural element – becomes the formal thread of the project, reinterpreted in furnishings, window and door frames, partitions, roofing and in the iconic shading canopies that punctuate the outdoor areas.

A pivotal element of the intervention is the new portico, conceived not only as an access to the compound but as an urban feature that ideally reopens Villa Mater to the city of Rivoli. This covered, transparent and walkable path dematerializes the dividing wall on Via Rosta and serves as an architectural threshold between the city and the park. Its metallic and glazed arches, inspired by the shape of the original vault, generate a permeable screen that connects the urban landscape with the natural one, turning the entrance into a symbolic place of welcome, encounter, and openness. The portico is not just a passage: it is a gesture of restitution, inviting the public to reclaim the park and the Villa’s history.

The new functional layout of Villa Mater is based on a residential model inspired by the Senior Social Housing, which prioritizes autonomy, sociality and psychophysical well-being. The 19 residential units ( two and three-room apartments) are complemented by several common spaces: recreational areas, reading and meditation rooms, a cafeteria open to the public, a shared kitchen, a cooking workshop, and the guest quarters. The interior spaces are designed according to universal design principles and offer high levels of accessibility, comfort and customization.

The park itself becomes a vital extension of the interior spaces, a thematic environment articulated into three gardens – floral, herbal, exotic – designed as places of experiencing, well-being and social connection. The new public square, connected to the portico, serves as an urban agorà where residents, visitors and the city meet, overcoming the logic of the enclave and re-establishing the area’s civic and identitary role.

The design approach pays special attention to environmental sustainability and social inclusion: the use of natural materials, the valorization of native essences, the collection of rainwater, the integration of renewable sources and smart technologies define a new balance between the built and the natural world. The project fosters a quietly educational architecture that accompanies and improves the quality of life without imposing itself, offering residents the opportunity to develop relationships, interests and autonomy in a stimulating and safe environment.

Villa Mater is thus transformed into a place of shared living, where the third age is not seen as a retirement, but as an active stage of life. A project that cherishes the past to generate the future, opening up new possibilities for the relationship between the city, the landscape and people.