Chapter 1 : the refurbishment of the reception Salons

For the first chapter of the Reenchanting Villa Medici project, the French Academy in Rome has joined forces with FENDI, with the support of the Mobilier national, to reenchant the six reception Salons of Villa Medici.

The design vision of Kim Jones, FENDI’s Artistic Director of Couture and Womenswear, and Silvia Venturini Fendi, Artistic Director of Menswear and Accessories, provides the historic salons, including the majestic Grand Salon, with a new décor that encourages creativity and contemporary design.

This work, guided by the desire to create a dialogue between the existing heritage and the contemporary designs of invited French and Italian designers, is consistent with the history of the place and its architectural identity, marked in particular by the interventions of the painter Balthus in the 1960s and 1970s, then of the designer and scenographer Richard Peduzzi at the beginning of the 2000s, both of whom took on the task of running the institution.

Drawing on these legacies, colour has become the central element of the entire project developed with the support of the FENDI Architecture department.

This new interpretation of the Salons combines a range of skills related to design, interior design and the conservation-restoration of these spaces, in particular through the restoration of the decorations in the Grand Salon under the supervision of the chief architect of historic monuments, Pierre-Antoine Gatier, and the restoration of an antique tapestry by Bobin Tradition over a two-year period.

Finally, the refurbishment project is an opportunity to rethink the sound dimension of Villa Medici’s Salons with the company Devialet, which drew on its expertise in cutting-edge acoustic engineering to enhance the sound experience of the place.

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