Overlooking the deep Gravina gorge in the Unesco World Heritage site of Sassi of Matera in southern Italy, is the Hotel Basiliani. Reclaimed from the prehistoric limestone structures and cave dwellings and supplemented by walls of local tuffo, Domenico Fiore has created a unique establishment where guests can experience the peace and solitude of this spiritual location.
Constructed over three levels with multiple entrances, the roughly hewn wall surfaces and barrel vaulted ceilings of the interiors are painted in a stark white, bringing maximum illumination in these semi underground spaces and referencing the traditional color of the ancient homes of Sassi. Floor coverings vary from stone to sleek black tiles and some from stunning structural glass, exposing the functional storage spaces of the archaic homes.
Recycled materials interspersed with contemporary elements of steel and glass and beds constructed from unfinished wooden planks make up the furnishings within the rooms. Colour is introduced through the cabinet work, balancing and redefining the new contemporary identity of the guest rooms. The minimal palette employed throughout the project reflects the heritage of the spaces and the original inhabitants who lived their lives without excess. A delightful breakfast room completes the design and facilities providing every comfort for the guests, the design perfectly merges the old with the new and the organic with the manufactured. The hotel will also play an important role within the culture of the region and that is to welcome the visitors to the local museum, which is currently at the planning stage.
