Vol. 33 No. 1 Special Issue, vol. II (2025): Oltre il Novecento. Teoria e prassi per il "Restauro del Moderno"
I casi studio / Case-studies

L’isolato 314 di Messina. Il restauro appena completato della graniglia messinese / Block 314 in Messina. The recently completed restoration of Messina's graniglia

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  • Clara Stella Vicari Aversa,
  • Rosaria Catania Cucchiara,
  • Celestina Fazia
Clara Stella Vicari Aversa
Dipartimento di Architettura e Design, Università degli Studi Mediterranea di Reggio Calabria
Rosaria Catania Cucchiara
Restart Arte e Restauri di Rosaria Catania Cucchiara
Celestina Fazia
Dipartimento di Ingegneria e Architettura, Università degli Studi di Enna Kore
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/rar-19050

Published 2025-12-12

Keywords

  • Project,
  • Restoration,
  • Grit,
  • Artificial stone,
  • Messina

How to Cite

Vicari Aversa, C. S., Catania Cucchiara, R., & Fazia, C. (2025). L’isolato 314 di Messina. Il restauro appena completato della graniglia messinese / Block 314 in Messina. The recently completed restoration of Messina’s graniglia. Restauro Archeologico, 33(1 Special Issue, vol. II), 112–117. https://doi.org/10.36253/rar-19050

Copyright (c) 2025 Clara Stella Vicari Aversa, Rosaria Catania Cucchiara, Celestina Fazia

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Abstract

The post-earthquake reconstruction of Messina in 1908 was a varied exercise in new architecture and unique construction techniques.
A symbolic building is Palazzo Magaudda or Mallandrino-Coppedè, dating back to the 1920s, which except for partial elevation had never been restored still showing signs of bombing during World War II and fascist slogans on its facades. Its location between the Duomo and the new rationalist Palazzata on the harbour are also significant. The building is made of artificial stone in cement amalgam with Messina grit. The construction site was a journey into the past exploring methods, techniques, illustrating compositional layers, thicknesses, tools for scratching, engraving, bush hammering, grit to create refractions, red bricks for chromatic detachment, telling of mythological and apotropaic stories, narration of skills that intersect painted plaster and graffiti with arabesque tiles, lace-like parapets and capitals intertwined with history and spirituality.

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