Set amid the olive groves and vineyards of the Abruzzo hills is the Tenuta di Sipio, an Abruzzo farm estate that retains the rural charms of a bygone time. The venue is available for private events, and part of the structure has recently undergone a renovation that has used bioclimatic architectural principles to transform an anonymous agricultural building into an exclusive restaurant.

The structural and lighting design was entrusted to the architect Rocco Valentini, who has developed an architectural concept inspired by the symbol of the tree and the way its branches reach upwards. Like a tree, the supporting structure rises from the ground with a trunk that rests on a corner of the glass envelope. Radiating out from this, the structural elements – triangular cor-ten blades – interweave in a complex, harmonious pattern of branches between the floor and the ceiling.

To light the restaurant, the architect has chosen Ginko 2.0 projectors with narrow 17° optics and anthracite finish; the projectors are fixed directly to the structure’s cor-ten branches. With a play of chiaroscuro and soft lighting, they create an elegant, warm and intimate atmosphere that harmonises with the beauty of the gardens visible through the large glazed windows.

Outside, the swimming pool is lit by Moby 2.1 underwater recessed fixtures. With their 16-mm-thick glass cover and vitrified serigraphy, these provide maximum impact resistance while blending into the pool’s lining to disappear from view and leave only their light output visible.


Project: arch. Rocco Valentini