Villa Frua Townhall, Laveno

Laveno Mombello, historically famous for producing ceramics, lost its industrial identity after the factories closed in 1997. Today, the town is trying to rediscover a new vocation, with tourism as a possible way forward, aligning itself with the other towns on Lake Maggiore's Lombard and Piedmontese shores.

The town's regeneration strategy starts from a renewed vision of the territory. Traditionally, town planning analysis has been based on parallel strips that are not integrated with each other. The lakefront, the main tourist and commercial attraction, is the strip that generates the most interest. At the same time, the fishing village and the historic village behind it have a predominantly residential character, with some sections in a state of neglect. The latter, with narrow alleys, picturesque views, local materials and low buildings, offer added value despite their non-responsiveness to contemporary needs.

The need is, therefore, to reconnect the territory along a 'valley section', starting from Sasso del Ferro and arriving at the lake, creating a circuit linking the lakefront with the historic village, rearranging key places for a new use of the territory. At the centre of this vision is Villa De Angeli Frua, an 18th-century building located in the historic centre, offering a panoramic view of the Borromean Islands and a large park. The villa and its annexes, currently partly occupied by municipal offices, overlook a courtyard that serves as the town square.

The courtyard of the villa, equipped with a refreshment area, becomes a place of delight for citizens, offering a safe area for children and a panoramic view. The vision of Villa Frua as a public place that can always be used is the basis of the new urban design. The project to enhance the external area of the villa takes into account historical stratification, enriching the garden with botanical species that reflect the peculiarities of the different areas and working with themes of cultural heritage, re-using materials, and floristic richness.

The small square next to the main façade of the villa is designed to combine accessibility and functionality, maintaining the historical character and typical materials of Lombardy villas. The original paving in Beola stone has been integrated with other reclaimed ones in the incomplete sections. The oval design, a design element, has been interpreted in a contemporary key, combining stone binders with the rizzada and completing the intervention with loose gravel in the tree-lined area. Finally, several mobile seats allow the space to be managed flexibly, both for moments of conviviality and for relaxing and enjoying the view of the lake.