VILLA LA PERSONALA - Mirandola (MO) - Italy
Located in San Giacomo Roncole, in the municipality of Mirandola in the province of Modena, Villa La Personala is a magnificent historic house with several buildings, built around the Old Tower dating back to 1100. Owned for generations by the Conti Personali-Ferri family, it is part of the local historical and cultural heritage and, over the centuries, has become a landmark for the local community.
Severely damaged by the earthquake that hit the Emilia-Romagna region in 2012, it underwent extensive rebuilding and renovation in order to restore – by taking a scientific approach – its original architecture and decorative elements. For its restoration and reconstruction, which lasted about 10 years, it received a certificate of merit in the FICLU International Competition “La Fabbrica nel Paesaggio” promoted by the UNESCO Club of Foligno and suggested by the UNESCO Club of Modena, with the following motivation: “For the elegant restoration of a stately historic Villa with a special focus on the original architecture, which is now key to enhancing the surrounding landscape and promoting sustainable tourism.”
The villa is now a multipurpose center for business and private events, as well as a luxury relais with 12 suites offering exclusive wellness experiences and relaxation. Its ancient roots and identity are harmoniously combined with innovative and contemporary anti-seismic systems, energy-efficient solutions, and cutting-edge materials. These include the technical ceramic surfaces by FMG Fabbrica Marmi e Graniti, which were used for the interior wall and floor coverings. The ground floor gains new life with Venice Villa, the Full-Body collection, a tribute to the aristocratic beauty of Venetian seminato flooring. The colors Beige and Earth, with a Levigata (polished) finish, were chosen to enhance the common areas – the entrance hall, staircase, dining room, breakfast room and lounge areas – and to recreate elegant old-world atmosphere and charm. Venice Villa was also used for the walls and floors of the restrooms, and in the Sabbiata (sandblasted) version with a slightly textured, non-slip surface at the entrance ramps, especially designed for people with mobility problems. The realistic stone effect, in the large format, was also chosen in addition to terrazzo flooring. MaxFine CityStone was used in the two connecting rooms, a meeting hall and a banquet hall, in the stairways leading to the upper floors, and in other rooms used for various purposes. Sophisticated marble abounds upstairs in the en-suite bathrooms of the 12 suites, with MaxFine Calacatta and MaxFine Travertino, which were used for both horizontal and vertical surfaces – including shower units – and for the vanity tops.
FMG materials were chosen not only as they are able to blend in perfectly with the historical setting while meeting its specific design requirements, but also due to their unique technical properties. In fact, FMG porcelain stoneware stands out for being durable, resistant to thermal shocks, waterproof and fireproof, nontoxic and eco-friendly. It is also very easy to clean, which makes it the ideal solution for public spaces.
