Therasia resort sea & spa

Island of Vulcano, Municipality of Lipari, Sicily (ME)

Project objectives

We have designed and built more than 25 hotels during our career, all between four and five stars, as well as holiday homes and residences, in Sicily’s most important tourist locations: Taormina, the islands of Vulcano and Lipari, Catania, Acireale.
In particular, Therasia resort sea & spa, located on the island of Vulcano, in the setting of the Aeolian archipelago. The operation was aimed to upgrade the 5-star hotel structure, it was completed in 2010.
The existing 3-star hotel was to be completely renovated according to the project proposed by the client. The building renovations were made to achieve an overall renovation of the hotel including a substantial and essential structural restoration. The operation was radical though respectful of the local typological features. The integration of the BIM method with the traditional design allowed us to optimise the different phases of construction and to complete the work, over a number of years, within a timeframe compatible with the seasonal closure of the hotel.
Particularly noteworthy are the swimming pools, one of which is infinity-edge, the main suites and the spa, for which precious materials have been used or laid with artisan techniques that recount the island’s vernacular tradition.

Our intervention

The exclusive location, the stringent functional requirements, the attention paid to quality materials and finishes, as well as the logistical difficulties involved in building on a small island with only 700 inhabitants, make the project one of the group’s flagships (a prime example being, the cement production plant on Vulcano, which abandoned at the time, was reopened in order to produce the necessary cement). Demolition of the existing structure exposed the reinforced concrete load-bearing structure, which required major rehabilitation using carbon fibre, appropriate treatments on the reinforcement and thixotropic mortar, jacketing of the pillars, new reinforcement and related connectors for the existing floor slabs.
The interior space as well as the elevations were completely remodelled to meet the needs of a luxury structure with a predominantly foreign target clientele. The architectural language has, however, retained the characteristic features of local architecture.