VILLA CAMILLA [IT]

Exploration #105. Villa Camilla was built to a design by architect Virginio Muzio as a wedding gift that Augusto Pesenti, an important cement entrepreneur, gave to his new bride Camilla Donadoni.  The same entrepreneur played a fundamental role in the construction of the villa: taking advantage of the many business trips abroad, Pesenti sent illustrated postcards explaining to the architect how he would have liked some details of the villa.

The villa was built in 1895 in typical neo-Renaissance style. Besides being a prestigious residence that represented the prestige of the family, it was designed to offer the family all the most innovative and modern comforts: in fact, it was equipped with toilets, running water, heating and radiators. All extremely modern innovations for a building of the time. Another peculiarity of this villa was the use of cement, the main product of the family business. Cement was used externally to create a cladding that simulated stone, to create columns, capitals and bas-reliefs; the flooring of many areas of the villa was also made of white cement tiles with the addition of different pigments. Finally also the van stairs were made of cement granite, with a frame (also in cement) that looks like marble.

The villa is surrounded by a large garden of 20,000 square metres in which there is also a beautiful oriental style greenhouse and stables. After years of degradation and carelessness, the villa has recently been secured and put up for sale by the current owners. Next to the villa there is the historical Pesenti cement factory.