Timeless Contrast: A Modern Apartment in a Medieval Tower in Siena
Restoring a centuries-old structure demands restraint, precision, and deep respect for its origins. In the case of this 140 m² apartment within Siena’s Palazzo Rinuccini, CMTarchitetti has done just that—melding contemporary design with medieval bones. The space is set within a Romanesque tower built between the 11th and 13th centuries, its original materials uncovered and celebrated after years of being hidden under plaster and paint.
The architects allowed the structure to speak for itself. Cavernous limestone and “filaretto” brickwork now define the living space, lending texture and authenticity. Modern interventions—resin floors in a soft matte tone, minimalist furniture, and custom cabinetry—are applied with great discipline, never competing with the architecture. Even lighting is integrated into wall reveals, highlighting textures instead of overpowering them.
Where needed, new elements are inserted with subtlety. The central kitchen island in the 12th-century extension sits beneath ancient elm beams, and a bold yet muted freestanding orange glass sink turns a guest bath into a sculpture niche. Throughout, CMTarchitetti’s work is a lesson in architectural restraint and reverence—modern, but never loud; new, but always in dialogue with the old.
Images by : Vitocorvasce