Title

Author(s)

Laura De Riso

Teresa Cunha Ferreira

Affiliation

Scuola Superiore Meridionale – Faculty of Architecture of University Federico II

CEAU, Faculty of Architecture of University of Porto

DOI

https://doi.org/10.65686/FFDS3765

Keywords

Cultural Heritage, Adaptive Reuse, Àlvaro Siza

PP

274-281

How to Cite

De Riso, Laura, Teresa Cunha Ferreira. “Preserving the Palimpsest: Adaptive Reuse of Palazzo Donnaregina (MADRE) in Naples by Álvaro Siza.” In Proceedings of the International Conference on Adaptive Reuse. Volume 1, edited by Andrea Crudeli, Francesca Molle, and Emanuele Carrai, 274–281. Firenze: STH Press, 2026.

Abstract

Álvaro Siza has consistently engaged in the reuse of pre-existing buildings, commissioned by public or private entities in various countries. Particularly in Naples, Siza designed significant projects focused on cultural heritage preservation, such as Donnaregina Museum of Contemporary Art (MADRE) in collaboration with Studio DAZ and the Metropolitan Station Municipio with Eduardo Souto de Moura. These projects demonstrate a careful approach to the city’s physical and social stratifications over time. This contribution aims to provide a critical reflection on Siza’s intervention in the Donnaregina Museum of Contemporary Art, emphasizing the challenges associated with the urban landscape and history of the pre-existence, the design strategies, the tectonic and material solutions and the critical reception of this adaptive reuse within the architectural debate. The methodology combines a cross-analysis of literature review, archival research and fieldwork surveys. This project by Álvaro Siza involved analysing the building’s historical transformations and architectural specificities as a foundation for understanding its spatial configuration and its capacity to accommodate new functions and meet contemporary museum requirements. The interventions included demolishing the inappropriate additions, such as 20th-century reinforced concrete volumes in the inner courtyards, while preserving the spatial layout and original materials as much as possible. The new additions, such as staircases, pathways, and installations, establish a harmonious relationship with the existing structure. The ventilation and lighting systems are housed in a suspended ceiling detached from the walls, while electrical, acoustic, and fire protection systems are integrated into the plasterboard lining of the perimeter walls. The MADRE project exemplifies, through Siza’s pedagogy, the potential for contemporary architecture to engage with complex historical contexts, demonstrating a commitment to both preserving existing structures and creating new cultural spaces for the community.

Edited by
Andrea Crudeli
Francesca Molle
Emanuele Carrai

Publisher
STH Press, Firenze

ISBN Paperback – 9791281661141
ISBN Ebook – 9791281661158
DOI – https://doi.org/10.65686/SISY7263

Year
2026

Proceedings of
International Conference on Adaptive Reuse
hosted by The University of Pisa, Italy
15-19 September 2025, at the Gispoteca di Arte Antica dell’Università di Pisa.