The Residence
The Residence "The Seven Sails" was achieved by restructuring a traditional Aeolian house, situated in the center of Santa Marina Salina. In the Aeolian houses there was a peculiar balance between the demands of domestic life inside and the necessity of having ample space outside, to spend the days during most of the year, exactly from late spring to autumn forwarded. Was also singular the brightness of the dwellings, arranged so as to follow the cycle of days and seasons, whose walls weren’t a limit but leave penetrate the strong colours of the landscape. A broad terrace, - u bagghiu -, with the seats, - bisòla -, and the columns, - pulèra - , is covered by the pergola, - loggia -, full of leaves during the good season and bare in winter when filters the healthy rays of the sun. The cistern, - isterna - to collect rain, the wash-tub, - pila -, set between the seats of the terrace, the garden, - littera -, and shelters for animals, - mannari -, on the edge of the garden, were essential parts of that equilibrium. The palmento, - parmientu -, the store for the housing of gear, - maiazzienu – and an other particular store,- pinnata -, used to protect from moisture night grapes go placed on mats woven cane – cannizzi - completed the house of Aeolians. Cubes, arches, columns, external stairs, simple geometries are combined in harmonious architectural complex in the surrounding well-placed, under the watchful eye of volcanoes. The colours, now strong now tenuous, were made with the ground mixed with milk of lime, appealed the various shades of lavas and of the sea and contributed inserting the heritage building in the landscape, as if it were living part of the extraordinary natural insular environment. The sea breeze of day and the evening smell of carnations in the small flower bed, - mignànu -, set up between the seats of the terrace, on the first floor, basil and mint in the garden, together with the smells of the Mediterranean scrub of the countryside , remain the dominant perfumes and emblematic example of a healthy balance with the surrounding environment, that we have tried to respect together with the traditional residential types.
