An old building in San Marino becomes a university facility

The construction of Palazzo Sais in San Marino dates back to 1930. Included in the expansion plan for San Marino's capital, it was originally home to the Public Administration and then passed to the Diocese of San Marino Montefeltro, remaining a landmark for the San Marino community.

The building was then abandoned until 2018, when a decision was taken to invest in its renovation in order to return it to the community. It is now home to the University of San Marino, with the aim of restoring its former prestige in a new guise. The project was entrusted to architect Marcella Michelotti, whose primary goal was to communicate the presence of the long-closed building to the community.

First and foremost, this message required the interior to be upgraded through the use of modern and functional, yet also, in a certain sense, sumptuous materials that could harmoniously dialogue with the original structure, which retained its San Marino stone facings and pilasters, as well as its exquisite wooden doors.

The choice fell on Ceramica del Conca’s Boutique collection in the Onice Fantastico decor, a clear interpretation of a Mexican ‘onyx’ known as “Rosso Fantastico” or “Rosso Inferno” due to its reddish base enhanced by criss-crossing veins in various colour shades ranging from light cream to dark cream, hazelnut, brown and water green. The collection evokes the colours and atmosphere of the Thirties and has created an elegant, yet lively environment to welcome the new generation.

All four floors of the building, covering a total of 1280 square metres, therefore feature Onice Fantastico floor and wall tiles from the Boutique collection, boasting bright, enveloping rich colours that perfectly match the original surfaces – which survived the period of neglect – on the main floor and the new wall coverings on the other surfaces, embellishing all the rooms. Careful and skilful attention to defining the colours and lighting with warm LED lights has made the building’s interior even more welcoming, functional and elegant. The bright colours of Onice Fantastico in the mosaic version were also used between the historic wooden door and the entrance window.

Boutique is Del Conca’s marble-effect collection, a sophisticated and elegant interpretation of this product category. The introduction of the new Shine finish, produced in a radically different way than the previous generation, places the Boutique series among the aesthetic benchmarks on the market, thanks to the use of a dedicated, thickly applied enamel, which provides an unrivalled level of reflectivity and chromatic depth. With Boutique, designers can create a seamless transition between rooms, producing surfaces that are uninterrupted from floor to wall and from inside to outside. Del Conca’s large slabs, in the oversize 120x260 cm size, go beyond the limits of classic ceramics and open up new possibilities for use on kitchen tops, bathroom furniture, tables and much more, creating a total look involving the floor, wall and furniture. A style with a timeless beauty expressed through six tactile interpretations. Photo credits: Augusto Betiula

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