A body aligned with the sun.
An architecture drawn by light, by time, by earth.
A habitable meridian carved into Sicilian stone,
where the passage of light becomes form,
and space becomes a measure of the day.

At the edge of Sicily, where the limestone cliffs of Punta Bianca descend into the sea, the abandoned “Casa delDoganiere” rises once more — not as a monument, but as a porous threshold between earth and horizon. This intervention does not reconstruct the past but listens to the landscape: it preserves the ruin, inhabits its memory, and weaves it into a new architecture that breathes with light and wind.

A soft-toned concrete volume — echoing the chalky hues of the surrounding trubi formations — nestles inside the stone walls like sediment within rock. Its pitched roof, now reborn, is gently perforated along with the existing walls, allowing shafts of light to move across the interior with the rhythm of the sun. Light becomes a living material, tracing time and season through the space.

Inside, the building becomes a modest yet vital center for discovery. A small exhibition gallery narrates the geological and ecological story of the Reserve. A reading and refreshment area offer rest, while a compact gift shop supports awareness and sustainable tourism. The visitor is not guided through a sequence of rooms, but held in place — a moment of pause between learning and landscape.

The interior balances raw textures — the untouched stone of the ruin — with warm, contemporary materials. Furnishings are crafted in holm oak, a tree native to the Sicilian landscape, chosen to bring tactile warmth and territorial continuity.

A white footbridge cuts through the full-height nave of the old structure merges projectively with a spiral staircase, forming a single sculptural gesture. A quiet ascent that reconnects visitors with the memory of the ruins and the vastness of the surrounding landscape, in a final gaze towards the sea.

Surrounding the building, the garden is not ornamental, but elemental. It embraces the existing vegetation and reinterprets it in four thematic areas. The “Macchia Primaria” celebrates the resilient mediterranean scrub. “Resistenze Minerali” gather plants that thrive in stone and sun. “Fossili Mobili” is sculpted by coastal exposure, while the “Sensorial Textures” bloom with seasonal aromas, attracting pollinators and inviting the senses.

Natural paths of pale stone and gravel weave gently between these zones, echoing sediment tones and fossil whispers. Materials are chosen not to stand out, but to dissolve — to feel as though they have always been there.

This is not a project of spectacle, but of belonging. It respects what time has eroded and what nature insists upon. It welcomes the visitor not with imposition, but with humility — offering a place to pause, to learn, to look, and to feel.

Here, architecture becomes atmosphere: porous, grounded, and alive. A breath between stone and sky.

“The mystical qualities of Punta Bianca are captured in ‘Stone Meridian’ through soft-toned concrete volumes that echo the chalky hues of the surrounding trubi formations. Light becomes a living material, tracing time and season through space. This is a key aspect of ‘architectural timing,’ where buildings are designed to integrate with natural phenomena like sunlight and seasonal variations.”

“The project demonstrated a unique and thoughtful concept, harmoniously blending with the surrounding environment. It stood out for its innovative vision, careful selection of materials, strong sensitivity to the landscape, and a graphic presentation that was both clear and consistent.”

Perched atop a white cliff, the naturally eroded Customs House stands as a silent witness to history. Our architectural intervention maintains a subtle distance, establishing a dialogue between space and time.

We chose to preserve all exterior masonry walls and one primary interior wall. Fragments of demolished walls were reused as outdoor seating and display surfaces, extending the life of the original materials. A new concrete wall, set parallel to the preserved interior wall, forms a double shear-wall structure and accommodates secondary functions such as the staircase, storage, and toilet.

From this structural core, two slender floor slabs cantilever outward, held deliberately apart from the original masonry. These slabs are stabilized by steel cables that connect to the main roof beams, ensuring structural integrity while expressing lightness and tension. Visitors can walk alongside the original wall, close enough to feel the weathered texture of stone, yet always with a respectful detachment.

A new steel roof rises slightly above the original roofline, subtly announcing the building’s renewed life. This elevation allows for a semi-outdoor terrace, where visitors can sit at the bar, relax, and take in the sea breeze and panoramic views.

Outside, gently elevated ramps and terraces carefully bypass the white rocky landscape that characterises the site. The ramp hovers just above ground level to minimize impact, and its white concrete finish visually merges with the landscape from afar. This meandering path connects the coastline to the hills, offering changing perspectives of the sea along the way.

Through restrained gestures and respectful separation, the project preserves and reinterprets the site’s layered history, celebrating both nature and the passage of time.

“Intervention that enhances and respects the existing. The project offers a sustainable approach that is attentive to the choice of materials and technical solutions. It manages to establish an interesting and wise balance between new and existing.”

In this proposal, our primary intention was to preserve the strong identity and scenic character of the existing Customs House while sensitively adapting it into a contemporary visitor center that celebrates the natural and cultural essence of Punta Bianca.

To achieve this, we decided to retain the external stone façades of the historic building, keeping its visual presence intact within the landscape. The interior, however, has been entirely restructured to accommodate modern needs and to offer a more open, breathable spatial experience. Instead of inserting conventional floor slabs, we introduced a system of wooden platforms suspended at different levels and connected by a single lightweight bridge. These platforms allow flexibility in use while maintaining visual openness throughout the interior.

On the ground floor, a multifunctional timber “box” houses essential amenities: a gift shelf, a mini-café kitchen, a small storage area, and a single restroom accessible to both visitors and staff. Adjacent to it lies a cozy café seating zone, which extends onto an outdoor terrace. Near the entrance, visitors are welcomed by a striking 4-meter-tall metal sculpture of Iris Juncea — a native species that symbolizes the unique flora of the Punta Bianca reserve.

Vertical circulation is placed outside the building in the form of a wooden tower — a freestanding structure that references the site’s historic watchtower logic and provides access to the upper exhibition platforms.

Each platform serves as a specific display zone:

Honoring the building’s past as a place of habitation, we propose a modest guest room beneath the pitched roof. This space can be reserved in advance, offering visitors a rare opportunity to spend the night in this extraordinary place and connect with the Genius Loci.

The experience continues beyond the building: a panoramic viewing platform atop the tower offers a 360° perspective over the reserve, while a path leads to a newly designed pier — a tranquil spot to take in views of the sea.

Our goal was not only to respect the beauty of the existing structure and landscape but also to create new points of attraction for visitors — new angles, new connections, and new ways of seeing and feeling this remarkable site.

“The timber deck system and wooden tower establish a functional interplay, forming a new architectural composition in sculptural counterpoint to the massive heritage structure.”

This intervention reimagines the 19th-century Customs House ruin as a layered vessel suspended above the earth—a gesture of reverence for Sicily’s fragile coastal ecology. Drawing inspiration from the site’s white marl cliffs and the Customs House’s history as a sentinel against smuggling, the design employs a “floating trilogy” of volumes that minimize ground contact while framing evolving dialogues between visitors, history, and the Mediterranean.

Design Response

Mid Level: This fully permeable platform enables visitors to come into direct contact with the ruin. On the platform, visitors can relax or gaze out to sea through the structure’s original fenestration apertures.

Upper Level: A suspended volume conceived as a “mystery box” house curated exhibitions. Minimal fenestration frames focused sea vistas, creating contemplative moments of isolation above the coastal landscape.

A corten steel viewing platform extends the visitor center’s spatial narrative to the shoreline, connected via a boardwalk that establishes a direct axis to the sea. This intervention deliberately aligns with the Customs House ruin, forging a dialectical visual dialogue between heritage and modernity.

To honor the site’s ecological sensitivity: Structural elements maintain minimal rock anchorage, echoing the main building’s elevated strategy. The boardwalk employs a modular weathering-steel box-girder system engineered for structural efficiency while mitigating coastal corrosion. All components are prefabricated to reduce on-site disruption, preserving the pristine beach morphology.

Materiality & Ecology

Cultural Narrative
The design honors Agrigento’s 2025 Capital of Culture theme—“humanity in peace with nature”. The project transforms decay into a living archive: where visitors experience from tactile history through artistic gallery to nature’s beauty, echoing the Sicilian coast’s eternal dialogue between land and sea.

“The best architectural project, it weaves together the ruin, the landscape, and the sea, uniting them into a single, cohesive whole.”

On the southern coast of Sicily, within the Punta Bianca nature reserve, stands a partially ruined building of an old customs house. It no longer functions — but still exist, not as a structure, but as a keeper of time. Having lived through shifts in eras, it has become the main witness to the history of this place.

Originally, the building marked a border — a physical and legal threshold. We propose to rethink this idea: not as a barrier, but as a meeting point — between past and future, nature and human, function and meaning.

The project is based on the idea of architectural stratification of time. We do not extend or rebuild the ruin — instead, we present three possible temporal states of its presence. These layers unfold along the path of the sun, from past to future. At sunset, as light passes through a series of circular openings in the facades, a line of light emerges, connecting all three moments into a single, continuous axis of the time.

To forget — The Future of the Past

Facing the sea, a duplicate fragment of the original facade is placed in front of the existing structure, but more ruined than the original. This is a conceptual interpretation of disappearance — a scenario in which the building is entirely forgotten. To construct this layer, we will reuse collapsed stones and bricks gathered from within the ruin itself.

To preserve — The Present

The central part of the composition is the existing structure. It is stabilized, cleaned, and conserved. Inside, the new visitor center is inserted with care, so that its function does not overshadow the meaning of the place, but instead quietly amplifies it.

To rethink — The Future

Behind the ruin, we place a lightweight, translucent interpretation of the original facade. This structure, made of glass and metal. It shows how memory can take on new, contemporary forms — preserving outlines without replication.

The ground floor includes a reception, rest point, small shop, and restrooms. The upper level hosts an exhibition and lounge, with a view over the space below. A hatch leads to the roof terrace, offering a moment of stillness above the sea.

The surrounding landscape is treated with a principle of minimal intervention. The woodenpedestrian path follows the natural topography, loosely echoing the curves of the coastline. At key turns, small viewing platforms open toward the ruin and the sea.

This project is not merely the adaptation of a ruin — it is a recognition of its value, and a conversation with it in the language of time. The ruin remains a thinking structure, a physical fragment of memory. The function of the visitor center is important — but the essence lies in allowing the ruin to remain a symbol, not transforming it into a sanitized tourist object. This is the architecture of memory, a threshold between eras, a place where human and time look directly at one another.

“An irreverent and conceptually well-founded solution. The project is very well presented, establishing solutions for integration with the surroundings while respecting the pre-existing beauty.”

This project is centered on preserving the original condition of the building to the greatest extent possible, while providing it with necessary protection. On this foundation, new functions are carefully integrated, transforming the customs house into a visitor center that not only evokes memories of the past, but also offers a profound connection with nature.

Design Concept

Coexistence of the Old and the New:

The original brick structure of the Customs House is preserved, with only minimal interventions made using lightweight steel structures and a glass roof. This approach highlights a respectful dialogue with the historic site.
Integration with Nature:

The pitched roofs follow the natural contours of the surrounding terrain—such as the rock formations and the ruin walls—reinforcing a sense of harmony between architecture and landscape. The use of glass allows the building to visually merge with its surroundings under different lighting conditions.
Spatial Openness:

Blurring the boundaries between interior and exterior is at the core of the design. Semi-transparent roofs, open platforms, and a circulation system that flows across the site allow visitors to experience a seamless connection with nature from within the architecture.

Architectural Strategy

Roof System Design：

Two pitched roofs are superimposed on the existing structure, establishing a stratified dialogue between historical and contemporary volumes. The southern roof extends toward the coastline, functioning as a walkable terrace path that facilitates spatial and experiential continuity. The use of frosted fluted glass mediates light and privacy while diminishing the visual impact of the intervention within the natural context
Terraces and Viewing Experience:

Three staggered terraces are embedded into the south-facing slope of the roof, with vegetation planted to echo the geological features of the Turkish Steps. These terraces serve as spaces for rest and sea viewing.
The height differences between the terraces and the roof form a flowing circulation path that guides visitors along a scenic ocean-view route.
Circulation and Stair System:

A stairway following the roof’s curvature connects the second floor of the original Customs House with the terraces and eventually leads down to the seashore.This gently sloping design encourages visitors to “walk on the roof,” fostering a more immersive and continuous interaction with the surrounding natural environment.

Structural System and Material Strategy:

The new interventions utilize a lightweight steel frame, with the roof clad in frosted fluted glass and terraces combining steel and timber, emphasizing a sustainable and reversible design strategy. The use of prefabricated components ensures construction efficiency while minimizing environmental impact on site.

The Crystal Steps

Crystal Steps reflects the project’s light-touch approach to revitalizing the historic Customs House. “Crystal” refers to the frosted fluted glass roof, which diffuses light and harmonizes with the coastal setting. “Steps” denotes the terraces and stairways integrated into the roofscape, guiding visitors toward the sea. Echoing the nearby Turkish Steps, the design invites a layered, immersive journey through space, history, and nature—one that blurs boundaries while honoring the site’s original character.

Located within the Punta Bianca Natural Reserve on Sicily’s southern coast, the proposed visitor centre is designed to integrate seamlessly into a sensitive, rocky landscape defined by its white marl formations. The architecture responds with humility and restraint, aiming to respect the site’s ecological and historical value while enhancing the visitor experience.

The project repurposes the existing historic stone customs house with minimal intervention. The exterior walls and central stone spine are preserved. Half of the structure is left open to form a tranquil, semi-wild inner garden, where local vegetation intrudes gently into the space, playing with the boundaries between interior and exterior. It creates a reverse dialogue: nature enters the architecture rather than being excluded. This open area connects to a café/bar covered with a timber-pitched roof, maintaining the original roofline. The space offers shaded respite, framed sea views, and natural cooling from thick stone walls.

The design aims to embed the architecture seamlessly into the terrain through a sensitive, non-invasive approach. New interventions are carefully placed within already eroded zones, preserving the integrity of the white marl and minimising ecological disruption. Circulation is choreographed along the site’s natural inclinations, allowing topography to guide movement. The main entrance, visitor information, shop, toilets, and storage are housed in a lower-level volume, hidden from above and emerging gently from the landscape.

A circulation axis follows the original centreline of the customs house, extending toward a panoramic viewpoint. A stepped bridge walkway – conceived as a “pier” – links the historic structure to a secondary pavilion that hovers above the rocky terrain. The gesture establishes both a visual and spatial connection, echoing traditional coastal infrastructure.

Materiality plays a central role in anchoring the architecture to its context. Wherever possible, the white marl, rough stone walls, and sedimentary rock formations are exposed, grounding the building in the site’s geology. A palette of natural, locally sourced materials – including white marl, lime plaster, rough stone, timber, and mineral aggregate concrete – creates a dialogue between raw textures and refined craftsmanship.

This tactile landscape is balanced with contemporary elements: slim steel window profiles frame unobstructed views, while polished metal accents in lighting, hardware, and furniture provide a counterpoint to stone and plaster. The exposed timber roof structure introduces warmth and rhythm, while lime-plastered walls ensure breathability and echo traditional finishes. Concrete floors with local aggregates blend into the terrain, while natural wood joinery and built-in furnishings create tactile continuity.

Soft, integrated lighting enhances this material depth, casting warm glows that reinforce a calm, contemplative atmosphere. Every surface and element expresses a quiet dialogue between rugged landscape and crafted precision.

The architecture fosters an atmosphere of silence, shadow, and slow discovery, encouraging visitors to pause, observe, and reconnect with their surroundings. Elements such as vegetation, light, wind, and sun actively shape the spatial experience, blurring the boundaries between built and natural.Through an interplay of rough and refined, natural and contemporary, the architecture becomes a subtle extension of the terrain itself.

The sun is high up in the sky and your legs start to feel tired. The narrow path leads you to the house following the sand dunes and rock formations, slowly seeing the sharp edge cutting beneath earth and the horizon of the sky. It seduces the view of the hiker and invites you to approach the stone building that crowns it. Already feeling the sea breeze in your face, little by little you begin to see the light wave structure which lays there as a strong contrast to the solid stone construction. You hear and see the motion of the waves and the steel construction cutting out of the water and standing up towards the house, almost reconquering the space occupied by humanity. As the wave encounters the solid masonry walls it is getting some resistance, yet softly embraced and unites with it.

The installation leads the way and conducts the visitor into the building, where he/she experiences the delicate cut between new structure which interfaces with the coexistence of man-made traces of the past.

After getting your ticket or requested information you are accessing the top floor by using the winding staircase in the atrio, painted in the typical red color that appears and leads the visitor through the project. You will so get to the didactic area, where the exposition shows main information and pictures of the Riserva Naturale as well as temporary art exhibitions. On this floor we can also find an educational area with a laboratory, which can be used by groups of adults and kids for learning purposes. Thanks to the natural light which enters the building it has been possible to extend the exhibition area to the outside, creating an extra room for the exhibition and an open panorama balcony.

Here at this point you can clearly see the interface between solid and light structure, stone and steel, old and new, human-made and nature. The use of opaque but translucent glass facades in the wave structure creates ideal light conditions for the requirements of the museum. The glass provides a high level of light transmission while at the same time offering excellent heat insulation.

Returning to the ground floor the bookshop accompanies you through it to the outside of the structure. The outside bottom space has been designed as a resting place, where visitors can find shelter from the glowing sun by drinking a tasty espresso or refreshing cold drink before exiting the building at its north-western edge wandering towards the tip of the sea terrace, feeling the waves crashing into the rocks underneath you.

Our designed project structure embeds itself well in the hilly territory, creating a strong combination with the existing stone construction. The intersection is intentionally left seen visible for the visitors, letting them rethink and bring back life to the then abandoned house,but at the same time not taking away its mysterious being.

For decades, the former customs house stood guard over the coastline – a checkpoint, a barrier, a symbol of the border. Today, with its military function rendered obsolete, the question arises: what comes next? The answer lies not in reconstruction, but in reinterpretation. Its existence is given renewed purpose, now in a different dimension. No longer defending territory, the building is reimagined as a guardian of something equally valuable, yet far more fragile – native plant species from the nearby nature reserve.

The vision positions this historic structure as a sanctuary for local flora. These plants become the main exhibition – not a static display, but a living one. Alongside them, the customs house itself becomes an exhibit: its architecture, history, and presence within the landscape. Out of deep respect for this presence, the historical fabric has been left entirely untouched – preserved as a value in and of itself. The newly designed architectural form gently embraces the ruin like a frame around a painting – unobtrusive, complementary, accentuating what lies within. The exhibition space is windowless; light enters only through the openings in the walls of the roofless customs house. This deliberate gesture focuses the visitor’s attention inward – toward the plants and the architectural remains. Operable walls allow the space to open toward nature on occasion, enabling flexible use for workshops, gatherings, or performances.

The second architectural component serves as a spatial negative to the first. Instead of an open center, a compact technical core is introduced. Around it, a glazed ribbon unfolds – forming a café, reception, and a small bookshop, all open to the surrounding landscape. The café is intended to serve meals made from regional harvests, while the bookstore will offer works by local authors and poets. On the only solid wall of the component there is a dedicated space for displaying artworks by local artists. While one part draws the gaze inward, this part expands the horizon – opening the architecture outward, toward nature. Though modest in form, the building conveys a powerful idea – one that honors historical value, introduces new functions in harmony with place, and integrates gently with the existing landscape. White concrete clearly differentiates contemporary elements from the historical – not imitating the past, but acknowledging and respectfully framing it. This is a project about protection – not only of heritage, but of the future. A project defined by sensitivity, allowing architecture to listen to its site rather than overpower it.

The undisputed protagonist of the project is the natural context, and in particular the incredible rock, white and smooth, on which the building subject of the intervention rests. Hence the choice founding the design idea which was to intervene on the artifact, the Casa del Doganiere, avoiding further land consumption and trying to affect the cliff as little as possible.

It was decided to respond to the functional program required by inserting the various functions inside the building and providing for a raised volume.

The way in which this volume is designed allows a perfect reading of the pre-existence and wants to be almost a tribute to the orography of sedimentary origin of the soil, created over time by successive slow deposits and overlapping stratifications of clayey and calcareous material, in association with the erosive action of the sea.

The natural context is therefore not taken up in its formal aspects but in its profound identity: the superposition and its unmistakable whiteness.

The new volume completes the geometry of the Customs officer’s house like a negative that detaches itself from the original matrix by translating vertically by 80 cm, leaving a continuous gap along the entire perimeter of the summit. The original building thus remains completely legible, an approach that characterizes both the external and internal vision.

The original building is emptied with the exception of the perimeter walls, which retain their perforation intact, and the dividing wall, which is only interrupted in the central section to insert the stairwell. The heart of the new intervention is the central volume of the stairwell, a square-based prism in exposed concrete, hollowed out inside to accommodate the vertical connection, a spiral staircase. This central block, 330x330cm in plan, constitutes the structural and conceptual soul of the project, and thanks to it all the new interventions remain independent from the pre-existing one while integrating with it and completing its functions.

The new slabs cantilever from the central volume and approach the perimeter stone wall without touching it. Likewise, the new volume is supported by a structural grid made up of 4 massive wall beams that intersect and merge into the central block and allow the elevation to remain suspended without touching the top of the original stone perimeter.

Externally, the facade of the customs officer’s house is treated with a lime whitewash (while the interior remains exposed as it is today) and from it proliferates the new volume in white concrete, Candid Stratification, a tribute to the spectacular cliff.

The external arrangements are reduced to a minimum: the existing terrace is slightly enlarged for functional reasons, while the path from the parking lot to the Visitor Center is articulated by a series of white concrete plates that mark the current elevations of the ground, structuring the various levels more clearly but trying to be as non-invasive as possible. With this aim, these platforms reproduce the position of the “stone waves” of the rock, following their direction and supporting their substantial parallelism.

“INZEMI” (insieme, together) is the name and the basic idea that drives our project, the search for a delicate balance between the historical building of Punta Bianca and the new addition. This word guides the project by respecting its different parts trough a fusion with the environment and its colors that enhance these wonderful landscapes. The goal is to give life to the existing historical building by adding a multi-faceted volume with an ethereal skin, that reverberate like the sea in the sunlight.An independent structure that interacts with the wall mass, creating a series of different internal and external spaces where you can discover unexpected glimpses towards the infinite sea, particularly in the stunning rooftop terrace.  The space has been designed in a flexible way, in order to meet the most varied demands.The internal areas have been designed to ensure maximum flexibility and can accommodate different and multiple events. The furnishings too have been conceived in order to be adaptable to multiple purposes and, if necessary, can be easily relocated or stored, minimizing the amount of space taken up.

The building, although small in scale, manages to have a dynamism that makes it extremely alive inside.

Careful research of shapes and materials and the desire to respect the intense nature of such a special place led us to conceive this space as a continuous connection between inside and outside, between meditation and socialization, between teaching and fun. The existing building, expression of a certain language of vernacular architecture, has been put in relation with the purity of a contemporary geometry, aiming to establish a close dialogue between forms and materials. The intention of our proposal is that the two parts are strongly identifiable at first sight but, shortly after, colors and lights naturally blend to make a single body.  

The close relationship between sea and land reinforces the architectural binomial that we have developed and for which we have chosen the name INZEMI.

Our choice was to write it in Sicilian to celebrate the Sicilian people’s natural ability and inclination to integrate different cultures and peoples.

The Latin concept of Otium refers to a state of leisure—time free from public duties, dedicated instead to inner development, contemplation, and the nurturing of spiritual values. In the project’s vision, Punta Bianca is intended to become Otium itself: a place where one devotes time to personal enrichment and introspection through encounters with art, literature, philosophy, and nature.

The designed architecture and its interior invite presence in profound silence and focused stillness. It is envisioned as a place where the word meets the trace, where architecture breathes both the remnants of what once was and the anticipation of what is yet to be written. The Customs House becomes a vessel of history; and so, Otium transforms into a space that addresses the human need for memory, the written word, and a moment of pause.

Silent, concealed memory is embedded in the stone walls of the historic structure, while spoken and visible words are inscribed in books – readily accessible throughout the space: along stairways, on landings, and across walls. Stillness is possible on every level of the built structure, within a warm and cohesive interior wrapped in the soft limestone so characteristic of, for example, Sicilian Baroque architecture. The stone stairway and its landings enfold the interior, forming a single continuous library space. Shelves are discreetly integrated into the stone balustrades, creating intimate reading niches along the widened flights. The stairs themselves become the library- the heart of the interior – a spiritual fabric where written words settle like layers of time within the walls, binding the memory of place to the narrative of the individual.

A massive stairway ascends toward a balcony that opens up to views of the southern coastline. A sloping, single-pitch roof made of white metal sheets cloaks the building, imparting a clear directional gesture – anchored slightly below the crowning edge of the structure. At the end of the roof’s slope, a discreet gutter allows for water drainage. The gable walls are clad in stone panels, a gesture of protection against the passage of time and the elements.

In contrast to the “hidden library,” with its book-laden stone balustrades, there is also an “open library” arranged along the wall to the right of the entrance. It is accessed by stairs with a transparent balustrade, offering full visibility of the book collection along the wall. Elongated landings provide space for individual reading.

On the ground floor, a reception area is crafted from the same stone as the floor and stairs, forming a monolithic, unified material and stylistic composition. This welcoming point offers refreshments and light snacks, while also serving as an information hub about the book collection and upcoming cultural events.

The Latin concept of Otium refers to a state of leisure—time free from public duties, dedicated instead to inner development, contemplation, and the nurturing of spiritual values. In the project’s vision, Punta Bianca is intended to become Otium itself: a place where one devotes time to personal enrichment and introspection through encounters with art, literature, philosophy, and nature.

The designed architecture and its interior invite presence in profound silence and focused stillness. It is envisioned as a place where the word meets the trace, where architecture breathes both the remnants of what once was and the anticipation of what is yet to be written. The Customs House becomes a vessel of history; and so, Otium transforms into a space that addresses the human need for memory, the written word, and a moment of pause.

Silent, concealed memory is embedded in the stone walls of the historic structure, while spoken and visible words are inscribed in books – readily accessible throughout the space: along stairways, on landings, and across walls. Stillness is possible on every level of the built structure, within a warm and cohesive interior wrapped in the soft limestone so characteristic of, for example, Sicilian Baroque architecture. The stone stairway and its landings enfold the interior, forming a single continuous library space. Shelves are discreetly integrated into the stone balustrades, creating intimate reading niches along the widened flights. The stairs themselves become the library- the heart of the interior – a spiritual fabric where written words settle like layers of time within the walls, binding the memory of place to the narrative of the individual.

A massive stairway ascends toward a balcony that opens up to views of the southern coastline. A sloping, single-pitch roof made of white metal sheets cloaks the building, imparting a clear directional gesture – anchored slightly below the crowning edge of the structure. At the end of the roof’s slope, a discreet gutter allows for water drainage. The gable walls are clad in stone panels, a gesture of protection against the passage of time and the elements.

In contrast to the “hidden library,” with its book-laden stone balustrades, there is also an “open library” arranged along the wall to the right of the entrance. It is accessed by stairs with a transparent balustrade, offering full visibility of the book collection along the wall. Elongated landings provide space for individual reading.

On the ground floor, a reception area is crafted from the same stone as the floor and stairs, forming a monolithic, unified material and stylistic composition. This welcoming point offers refreshments and light snacks, while also serving as an information hub about the book collection and upcoming cultural events.

Along the island’s southern coast, at the edge of the Golfo di Agrigento, lies Punta Bianca, a striking white marl cliff. Here stands the abandoned Casa del Doganiere, a 19th-century customs house built to fight smuggling. Made of local stone and tuff, it now crumbles, overtaken by nature and time.

This approach aims to create an experience that harmonizes with the unique character of the site, guiding visitors through the coastal landscape toward Ex Casa del Doganiere. The natural cliffs allow for easy passage, they remain undisturbed; where steep cliffs make walking difficult, a path is introduced. The steps are constructed from white marlstone, the same material as the surrounding cliffs, ensuring a seamless blend with the natural environment.

The old carcass of the building has been gutted from every internal part, preserving only its precious outer skin. Inside, a steel skeleton has been reconstructed, a robust prosthesis capable of reorganizing the internal structure of the building. Within this three-dimensional grid, the new organs are placed, elements capable of restoring the building’s functionality through the relationships and dynamics they create among themselves and with other parts. Finally, the tendons stabilize the whole by connecting the skeleton both to the outer skin and to the organs.

The restoration of the “Casa del Doganiere” is guided by a single design intention: to preserve the visual integrity of the old building, which stands in such a harmonious way within the surrounding natural landscape. The internal walls, slab and stairs are replaced by a new steel structure; at the points corresponding to the pillars, metallic buttresses consolidate the perimeter walls. Within this new framework, independent light boxes, constructed with polycarbonate and OSB panels, are inserted to house the functions of the program.

It is essential that the modular boxes, the new organs, establish a proper relationship both with the existing shell and with the other elements of the overall structure. On the ground floor, the small café extends outdoors with a seating area for tables and chairs, while the welcome desk is located just beyond the entrance. At the far end, attention is drawn to a transparent box suspended in mid-air, designed to host a wide variety of artistic works.

A metal staircase then leads visitors to the upper floor, where they will find a small bookshop promoting local initiatives and a workshop space, which can be fully opened and extended onto the adjacent metal grating platform. At the top, a panoramic terrace completes the project, offering a place to rest in the shade of large slanted curtains anchored to the structure.

A lightweight structure made of metal tubes defines the perimeter of the functional modular boxes. The infill panels are modular, frosted corrugated polycarbonate panels, enclosed by an aluminum profile that runs all around. These panels open via a central pivot and slide along a track. Optionally, the infill panels can be made opaque by using two OSB panels between the two polycarbonate panels. The floors and ceilings are made of OSB panels

On a white cliff shaped by the wind, an old customs house stands, gazing out over the sea, as if time has stopped. Though its roof and windows have long disappeared, its weathered form now commands an even stronger presence within the landscape. Once abandoned, the building has become one with nature, quietly waiting to find new meaning within its silence. Perched between white rocks and the blue horizon, it is no longer a boundary, but a part of the open scenery—welcoming all.

This project is not a simple restoration. It reimagines how the memory of a place can reconnect with people. While the original stone silhouette remains intact, a new, lightweight and transparent ETFE roof breathes fresh life into the structure. Under the sun, wind, and rain, the space adapts and breathes in harmony with nature. Slightly lifted from the original structure, the roof allows natural ventilation, and its form can be adjusted depending on the weather. Like a living organism, the ETFE subtly transforms the building’s appearance and offers a new kind of threshold between inside and out.

At the heart of the building, a new information space and spiral staircase reanimate its center. The narrow, deteriorated stair once present posed danger to visitors and has now been removed. In its place, the circular path that cuts through the central void guides visitors upward, offering a more dynamic and spatial experience. As one ascends, each step unveils new perspectives of the interior, turning movement into a layered experience of discovery and understanding.

And at last—one reaches the transparent (or hidden) viewing deck. Under the ETFE canopy, the sea stretches outward without walls or obstructions. Inserted within the original gabled frame, the new deck preserves the silhouette of the house while offering a completely new experience. Freed from the sense of enclosure, visitors find themselves momentarily united with the endless expanse of nature.

This intervention proposes a new way of connecting nature, history, and people—through the language of architecture. A light structure gently laid atop traces of the past speaks softly to the land:

“Here, you are facing the sea, the sky, and time itself.

A Trace Within the Stone

Located on Sicily’s southern coast, Punta Bianca features white limestone cliffs, Mediterranean flora, and sea views. Set within an Oriented Nature Reserve, the project requires a sensitive architectural response. The ruin of the old CustomsHouse atop a limestone promontory anchors the design, which draws from the site’s geology and the limestone’s ancient formation narrative.

CONCEPT

Our concept draws from the geological memory of the site—specifically, the formation of limestone through sedimentation, compression, and erosion. This natural process inspired both the architectural language and the spatial progression of the project.

The intervention is envisioned as a slow discovery: a visitor path that unfolds like a trace carved into the rock, starting from a decomposed granite (“mlat”) access path, winding gently toward the existing stone structure. The architectural dialogue begins with this procession and continues throughout the building, combining preserved heritage with a contemporary response.

The original Customs House is treated as a protective envelope—a container for a new programmatic core. Its stone walls, tuff lintels, and arched openings are preserved in their raw, timeworn form, celebrating their authenticity. We maintain the full character of the ruin while inserting new volumes and functions within and beneath it.

A new, partially subterranean level is introduced below the existing footprint to enhance spatial capacity without compromising the historic silhouette. This newly embedded volume respects the topography and visually recedes into the terrain. Above, the missing gabled roof is reinterpreted with a lightweight translucent polycarbonate structure, delicately resting on the original stone walls using minimal anchoring to avoid invasive structural alterations.

Our proposal for the Punta Bianca Visitor Centre is a sensitive, layered response to a rare landscape and a historic ruin. It enhances the experiential journey, anchors itself in the geological essence of the place, and preserves the presence of the past while revealing a new cultural core embedded in stone, light, and time. The architectural story ends not with a return, but with a gaze toward the sea—where the land dissolves into horizon, and the memory of limestone becomes a living, spatial experience.

SPATIAL PROGRAM

The journey begins at the reception area—an info point that also houses a small souvenir shop, service storage, and the main vertical circulation (elevator and stairs). From here, visitors ascend via an atypical sculptural staircase inspired by the compressive force of geological layers, emerging into an open-plan upper floor. This level features: panoramic views from restored window openings, a flexible exhibition area capable of accommodating lectures, projections, or discussions, curated narratives relating to the formation of limestone and the natural reserve’s ecosystem. The descent into the subterranean floor is a critical moment—an immersion. Here, limestone flows from the exterior into the interior, translated into curvilinear seating and display elements. This space houses: a panoramic window facing the sea, a library embedded into the curved interior walls, a café/bar area with generous service core, accessible restrooms, a multi-functional layout that supports workshops, talks, or quiet reflection. The panoramic window can be fully opened, dissolving the boundary between architecture, limestone, and the sea. The route ends here—at a contemplative threshold between land and sea.

MATERIALITY

Material selection is central to our concept. The existing stone walls are preserved and left exposed. New structural additions are executed in matte white metal, referencing the tone of the surrounding limestone while introducing a quiet contrast. The new polycarbonate roof is supported via discreet steel brackets anchored into the crown of the original masonry walls without overloading or perforating them. Where excavation occurs, retaining walls are clad in textured white concrete to evoke the tactile quality of eroded limestone. Interior flooring alternates between polished concrete and limestone aggregate to reinforce the continuity between indoor and outdoor ground.

CONSTRUCTION METHOLOGY AND PRESENTATION STRATEGY

The intervention ensures minimal impact, while acknowledging that the introduction of a new subterranean level is a permanent yet respectful addition. This lower floor is constructed via soft excavation, avoiding disruption of existing foundations. Micro-piling and isolated footings are deployed around the outer perimeter of the historic structure, allowing the new slab to float beneath without transferring structural loads to the original masonry. To support the new polycarbonate roof, a steel frame is delicately placed atop the existing stone walls using a compression cap system that evenly distributes weight without penetrating historic material. Lightweight connections ensure full reversibility of all above-grade elements. Drainage, ventilation, and waterproofing are integrated into the new construction, and all building systems are housed independently of the historic walls. The entire building is barrier-free, with access via elevator and gradual paths, respecting the terrain.

The project involves the renovation of a historic Custom House and the addition of a new pavilion. It integrates with existing hiking paths and respects sunbathing and relaxation zones along the coast. The historic structure has been given a new cultural function, serving as a center for education, exhibitions, and public engagement.

The design draws inspiration from the site’s history. Once used by the Guardia di Finanza to prevent smuggling, the original building’s protective role influenced both the concept and symbolic form of the new design. A modern extension was added, shaped with a double-sloped roof that brings in natural light from the east and west. The flatter ridge at the top includes a ventilation grille that promotes natural airflow. The overall form resembles an arrow—symbolizing vigilance and echoing the site’s past as a coastal watchpoint.

Spatial organization follows existing visitor movement paths, enhancing accessibility and flow. A new pathway connects the buildings with the coastline, improving orientation while supporting a variety of visitor activities.

The historic building and the new pavilion are visually and functionally linked, creating a dialogue between old and new. The pavilion’s position along the descending path from the hill makes it an intuitive stop for visitors before they continue toward the coast. It provides space to rest, gather information, or participate in cultural activities.

The renovation aimed to minimize intervention, preserving the original walls and only adding where necessary. One exception was the creation of a new passage from the reception area to the refreshment zone. This allowed for a direct opening to the outside, enabling locals and tourists to access the refreshment area without entering through the main entrance.

Punta Bianca’s significance as a coastal landmark is reflected in the visitor center’s symbolic identity as a lighthouse. With no nearby light sources, the structure becomes a beacon at night, thanks to its glass roof, which emits interior light outward and makes it visible from both land and sea.

On the ground floor, a hall with a reception, info point, and shop welcomes visitors. From there, one can access the lockers room or the refreshment area. Restrooms—accessible to all—are located along the central corridor.

The second floor contains a small library and a laboratory for educational use, linked by a connecting corridor.

The third floor, with a mezzanine, is dedicated to exhibitions and offers panoramic sea views.

Designed with seasonal flexibility in mind, rooms can be opened or closed independently—especially the refreshment room, which has both internal and external entrances.

Punta Blanca is one of the most biodiverse nature reserves located on the southern coast of Sicily, 437 hectares with pristine beaches, turquoise waters and white cliffs.  The decision to create a protected area was made when environmental organizations loudly called for the “protection” of a unique place.

The natural context of the place comes to the fore, and the building of the hospitality center complements it. The creation of a cultural space will attract more tourists. Creating hiking trails is an opportunity to protect the environment: lightweight structures that do not harm the environment, are easy to erect and easily disassembled/replaced.

Customs Building

These buildings served an important purpose: to house customs officers who were tasked with combating smuggling. This building was built in the 19th century from masonry and has a regular layout, completely made of local stone. Its windows are framed by blocks of tufa, a material typical of the region, and topped with small arches that enhance the stability of the structure. Behind the house, on a hill, there is a bunker from the Second World War. The restoration of this building will not only preserve its heritage, but also redefine it as an iconic feature of the territory.

The natural context

The customs house in Punta Bianca is an example of how history and nature can coexist in harmony. The house’s close dialogue with nature turns it into a scenic architectural feature. Rethinking this building as a visitor center would enhance its importance.

Problem

The central challenge is to develop an intervention that redefines the purpose of the building without compromising its historical essence. Moreover, the implementation of a project in such a highly protected area represents a critical opportunity to find a balance between innovation and conservation. The result will be an architecture capable of enriching the attractiveness of the place, paying tribute to its heritage and natural significance.

The natural lighthouse scene

The customs building is the only human creation in the midst of a vast natural landscape and its only refuge, it is the culmination, the vanishing point. These qualities are related to the lighthouse. Open, allowing to view the natural landscape, permeable, sensitive to the natural context, spacious – the customs building becomes an auditorium where visitors can observe the natural action.

The customs building becomes multilevel and verticalized, gaining an observation deck on the roof, leading further to the lantern. The structure on the roof of the building is created from a light metal structure outlining the silhouette of the lighthouse tower and culminating in a light installation – an art object. The theatricality of the space is emphasized by the dynamic elements of the pavilion – metal shutters that surround the pavilion like a curtain on a theater stage.

Perched on the luminous white cliffs of Punta Bianca, the ruin of an old customs house stands as a silent witness to time and tide. Once a modest refuge for sailors, this weathered stone shell is reimagined as a beacon — a symbolic lighthouse for contemporary cultural exploration. The project introduces a translucent, glowing volume delicately resting atop the existing ruin. This light-filled cube, visible from afar, not only evokes the form and function of a traditional lighthouse but also metaphorically rekindles the building’s original purpose: guiding, protecting, and welcoming seafarers and now, visitors of a different kind. A series of red metallic ribbons — formed from curved, marine-grade steel — weave through the structure and landscape, drawing inspiration from the geological rhythm of the limestone cliffs below. These elements blur the boundary between interior and exterior, anchoring the ruin to its site both structurally and symbolically. They function as sculptural supports, new circulation paths, and frames for spatial experience. In their vibrant materiality, they evoke the ribs of ship hulls, forming a subtle homage to the maritime heritage of the region. Programmatically, the ground floor welcomes visitors with a bar, gift shop, and services. This level acts as a social threshold — a place to rest, gather, and begin the journey upward. The first floor hosts a maritime museum, where existing stone apertures guide views toward the sea, echoing the vantage points sailors once sought. Finally, the top floor reveals a panoramic, sheltered terrace — a flexible space for exhibitions, performances, or quiet contemplation. Suspended above the sea, this volume is both lantern and gallery, platform and pavilion. The design embraces a respectful contrast between the ruin’s permanence and the lightness of the new interventions. The old stone speaks of history, erosion, resilience. The new additions — glowing glass, red steel — introduce clarity, movement, and renewal. Together, they establish a dialogue between past and present, between the natural and the constructed. Beyond preservation, this is an act of poetic revival. The architecture becomes a vessel — anchored to the cliffs — quietly carrying the memory of the sea into the future. It honors what once was, illuminates what remains, and invites new narratives to unfold.

The “ECHELON” project originates from a light and precise concept, rooted in the use of simple geometric forms, derived from the morphology of the existing building and the linear geometry of the low wall, which together define an L-shaped composition.

At the heart of the design lies the intentional juxtaposition and misalignment of forms. This gesture produces a rhythmic and orderly composition, where geometric offset is not disorder, but rather a spatial language—a principle of articulation that guides the entire intervention.

A careful analysis of the context revealed the desire to establish a dialogue with the existing. This translates into the creation of a pathway that adapts to and anchors itself within the pre-existing geometries, making use of the L-shaped form as a connective and spatially generative element.

In the new building, the central concept is the controlled rotation of the volume, which generates the terrace layout on the first floor. Internally, this gesture is emphasized by the arrangement of partition walls and the insertion of the staircase core, which leads to the flat roof—designed as a panoramic belvedere, a vantage point that opens toward the original structure, preserved as a material testimony to memory.

The preservation of the existing masonry and the reuse of the original lintels above the openings become tools to evoke the historical continuity of the architecture, keeping alive the relationship between past and present.

“ECHELON” is a project that operates on the threshold between memory and innovation, between permanence and movement. Through geometric shift, controlled rotation, and respect for the existing, it generates an architecture that does not erase, but interprets.

A simple yet meaningful gesture, one that transforms space into narrative, and form into a living testimony of time.

… Nestled along the scenic coast of Punta Bianca, the existing ruin—once a modest maritime shelter—now finds new life as a visitor center that bridges heritage and horizon. The proposal aims to preserve the architectural soul of the site, embracing the original brick walls as a living exhibition that tells stories of the sea, the land, and the people who once inhabited it. These walls are not only structural remains but narrative surfaces that carry the textures of time.

… Through careful adaptation, the space is reimagined to support diverse public uses while honoring the spirit of the place. The sequence of functions reflects a sensitive response to the site’s context. Upon arrival, visitors step into a Reception Hall, where a welcoming atmosphere invites them to pause. Here, local beverages and souvenirs are available at the bar counter, while information services guide exploration. The reception area also hosts a community-curated exhibition, where artifacts and stories donated by residents are displayed along the preserved masonry, creating an open archive of shared memory.

… Further inside, bathrooms and showers are inserted into the existing structure with minimal intervention, ensuring functionality without disrupting the spatial continuity. These facilities support the increasing number of visitors drawn to the coastline’s recreational offerings and natural beauty.

… At the core of the project lies the Reflection Pool, a suspended body of water that anchors the spatial experience. Enclosed by the brick ruins and lit from above by skylights and historic window frames, the pool reflects both natural light and the layered history of the place. This area offers a calm and contemplative space, where visitors can engage with the water without full immersion—an inclusive design for a variety of users.

… Above, the rooftop platform expands the program into the open air, offering panoramic views and space for flexible activities. Whether used for stargazing, workshops, or quiet reflection, this elevated zone celebrates the relationship between architecture, the sea, and the surrounding reserve.

… Ultimately, this project is not only a restoration, but a reactivation of place—transforming the ruin into a vessel of memory, a frame for new coastal experiences, and a living dialogue between the past and the future.

Reimagining the abandoned custom house to become a visitor centre for Punta Bianca nature reserve, respect the site’s unique features and create engaging experiences. Rather than dominating the site, architectural insertions framing the already exist features, showing off the enchanting site through minimal intervention that blends with nature.

Visitor Flow and Journey Experience

Accommodating five “windows” for different needs and mobility, visitors started at the arrival to park their vehicle to enter the receptionist building to choose routes: full walking path, partial off-road transportation or customized route. Main route descends through “windows”, starting with birdwatching deck and branching to the beach trails below or direct trail to summit bunker for more challenging hikes, and along further the main route there is a small greenhouse tucked into the hill slope. Reaching to Window 3 prepared as the resting area facility and meeting point of all the routes. From this decision point, visitors continue their journey to the restored custom house by walking, before ending the journey at the observatory and WWII bunker with refreshment area feature and panoramic view.

Architectural Design Across Five Windows

Each “windows” feature minimal and site specific building that blends with the landscape. Window 1 has a linear reception building with materials such as walls and large windows towards sea views. Window 2 the structures are mixed of steel and timber for the birdwatching deck and a small greenhouse. Window 3 prepared as rest point built into the hillside using limestone and green roofing. Window 4 is the restored custom house with exposed stone walls and insertion of modern glass and steel. Window 5 include the WWII bunker, a partially subterranean observatory below, shaded refreshment area and small amphitheater above. All structure follows the landscape and reversible to minimize environmental impact.

The Customs House Restoration

To balance the historic layers and modern functionalities, the stone walls are stabilized and exposed while the lightweight steel support the new structure, clearly separating the new and old elements. The Floor innovative system feature raised glass and steel frames showing the original terrain and local stones fragments beneath with addition of LED strip for dramatic lighting creating an enticing archeological experience. The ground floor accommodate modular exhibition panels, compact restroom and a storage room. The upper floor serving a projection space for documentaries, sensory interpretation area featuring sound and texture elements, a micro library and mezzanine level to maximize the functional capacity of the building. The openings are carefully framed with local timber and corten steel to highlight the coastal views.

Future Vision and Sustainable Development

The project serves as architectural intervention for a long term cultural and environmental care. By preserving the character of the site through minimal and reversible structure, it supports sustainable tourism, education and research. It aiming to foster sustainable local economy throughout seasonal programming, guided tour, local product sales and ensuring that present and future generations benefit from maintaining Punta Bianca’s layered heritage.

The proposal aspires to become a new architectural landmark, harmoniously integrated into the natural and historical context of the site, enhancing rather than overwhelming its unique character.

At the center of the conceptual vision are seven geodesic volumes—pure, white, and elemental—dispersed across the promontory like a constellation of translucent marbles, as if they had gently rolled down from the summit. The design is directly inspired by the topography of the place: the rock grooves, carved by time, suggest natural channels through which these forms might have traveled, ultimately coming to rest in poised equilibrium with the landscape that surrounds them.

Instead of asserting dominance, the architecture initiates a respectful and silent dialogue with the surrounding grandeur. The dynamic tension between the contemporary elements and the historic presence of the Casa Cantoniera forms the emotional and conceptual heart of the entire intervention. The geodesic structures, composed of triangulated frameworks and enveloped in a semi-transparent, ethereal white membrane, convey a sense of spatial lightness and conceptual clarity. This choice of color and material does not compete with the site’s natural palette but reflects the bright whiteness of the cliffs, allowingthe new forms to dissolve gently into their setting.

A key compositional gesture lies in the material and visual contrast between the solid, timeworn masonry of the Casa Cantoniera and the luminous, ephemeral presence of the new structures. During daylight, the tensile membrane filters the sun’s rays, casting diffused, meditative light into the interiors. At night, the volumes softly glow like suspended lanterns, bringing subtle animation to the promontory while safeguarding the purity and darkness of the night sky.

The largest of these elements, the so-called “Mother Geode,” is directly linked to the Casa Cantoniera via a new architectural opening, creating both visual continuity and spatial dialogue between historical legacy and contemporary intervention.

Beyond its poetic aspirations, the project is deeply functional. Each volume is conceived for flexible, site-specific use, offering comfort, adaptability, and responsiveness to the changing needs of its users and the environment.

The ground floor of the existing building becomes an active welcome zone, featuring a café and retail space, both of which serve as entry points to the experience. These are supplemented by new, inclusive restroom facilities. The first floor becomes an immersive exhibition space, dedicated to telling the story of the place, the landscape of Agrigento, and the project’s conceptual origins.

A dramatic addition is the new second floor, housing a didactic space. This extension, enclosed in glass and clad in stone, sees its material density diminish as it rises, producing a sensation of disintegration into the sky. The architecture, though anchored in materiality, appears to ascend and dissolve.

The site is treated as a holistic sequence. Vegetation—both wild and curated—guidespathways and softens boundaries, articulating a fluid transition between the natural terrain and human intervention. The resulting architecture feels both rooted and weightless: timeless, site-specific, and aspirational.

​Coming southwards and downhill, along the existing dirt road, from SP7, one has glimpses of the ruin on Punta Bianca. After roughly 3,5km, one encounters the first of three freely standing structures which combined make “The Visitor Centre of the Oriented Nature Reserve of Punta Bianca”.

Their position on the ground resembles three corners of an imaginary equilateral triangle(side=175m), symbolising the Trinacria of Sicily. They are all of the same size and proportions, as the existing ruin on Punta Bianca, but made of different materials and can be perceived as lighthouses, especialy during darkness, with light beams piercing the skies, through their recessed glazed roofs covered with photovoltaic smart transparent glass panels.

​The Gatehouse-the first and northernmost structure, is the main pedestrian gateway into the area of The Visitor Centre. The flattened surrounding area preserves the function of the existing parking lot-the last point for public traffic. Further, traffic is for electric supply&maintenance vehicles only, and for the transfer of elderly and disabled persons.
This transparent metal structure, consisting of galvanised steel frames is the introductory point, with explanatory panels and signposts. Other amenities are drinking water fountains and electric car chargers. Restroom and elevator for disabled persons are coated in reflective mirror-like material so that they imitate beautiful surrounding. Technical hub(electricity, water&sewage pumps, HVAC etc. for the whole Visitor Centre will be placed underground.

The first floor is an open observation deck. Even from this viewpoint, besides views of the terrain and the sea, it is impossible to see the ruin on Punta Bianca, enhancing the mystery surrounding it. Within the walking distance, another new structure is visible. Continuing on foot, using existing paths and roads, downwards to the coast, in the clock-wise direction of our imaginary triangle, one reaches it.

​The Center-the second and southernmost structure, covered in gleaming white sicilian stone plates, similar to the surrounding natural shore&cliffs of marl.

This is the contemporary&logistical structure-the practical heart of The Visitor Centre, with technical and functional contents. Amenities on two levels: reception desk within information area, souvenir&gift shop, observation points, restrooms, refreshment area with combination of outdoor terraces. Staff only: storage&mechanical room, lockers&shower.                                                                        

​​From this area, the ruin on Punta Bianca, is finaly and totally visible. We insist on the term “ruin”, since this structure visually should always resemble the stone house of “Caserna della Guardia di Finanza”.

​The Customs House–the final third structure. The historical&spiritual heart of The Visitors Centre, with preserved original stone masonry, both outside and inside. Protected by conservation-sealing againts external elements, glazing existing openings, adding a roof, and by reconstruction-restoration of all walls, the staircase and half of the first floor. This structure, should be predominantly used for acquiring knowledge about the Oriented Nature Reserve and contemplation. Amenities on two levels: fully equiped. lecture&exhibition area, library&reading room, observation points, restrooms.

​The colour disparity between the whiteness of The Center, and the subdued grayness of The Customs House, should further enhance the existing chromatic contrast between the blue sea and the white of the cliffs, and the greenery of the surrounding hills.            

​A dialogue between stone, sea and silence.

In this project, silence is not absence — it is presence. Within the Silent is an architectural gesture that listens deeply to place. The former customs house, set against the white cliffs and the Mediterranean, is reborn not through addition, but through subtraction. The structure is stripped to its essential perimeter walls, secured with discreet injections and anchored chains, preserving the fragile poetry of its ruin.

A minimal platform cantilevers gently over the cliff, a ‘balcony of air’ embracing sea and sky. Secured through corten steel anchors and dry-fitted elements recessed into the rock, it carries natural wood slats that flow seamlessly into the interior. Here, the floor floats 20 cm from the stone walls, framing absence like a canvas. Transparent glass railings disappear, allowing wind and sound to pass undisturbed.

Inside, lightweight volumes — kitchen, lift, bathrooms, bookshop — form an inner rhythm. The bookshop, conceived as a ship’s rig, becomes both structure and story: tension cables and open shelves trace the wall’s memory, holding books that inhabit both the lower gallery and a suspended corten walkway. Ascending this staircase is a choreography between literature, space, and light.

Half-sheltered by a transparent solar glass canopy, the upper level hosts the exhibition space. A new glazed volume for dining emerges discreetly from the kitchen, facing the sea but invisible from the main elevation, cutting through the building with quiet clarity.

Outside, sound benches sculpted in the shape of stylized shells capture and amplify the whispers of waves, wind, and birds through circular cavities oriented toward the prevailing winds of Agrigento. Light, breeze, and resonance filter through the open windows and partial roof, immersing visitors in a living silence.

Reclaimed stone from prior demolitions forms an organic reception counter, where a rough slab with a hollow hides a structural column, hosting a small tree and anchoring the light glass roof. The lift and stairs remain below the lowest roofline, invisible from the exterior.

This project, which integrates Corten steel and glass within interior spaces enclosed by ancient walls, emphasizes the harmonious blend of contemporary materials with historical settings, fostering a dialogue between past and present. Corten steel, valued for its weather resistance and warm, textured appearance, is used to define bold architectural volumes. Glass—whether transparent or translucent—enhances visual continuity and provides natural illumination throughout the interior.

Sustainability is not an add-on — it is embedded: water harvesting systems, photovoltaic glass, low-impact construction methods, dry anchoring, and natural or recycled materials. The intervention traces the existing, avoids imposing. Even the path from the parking splits — one branch to the sea, one to the house — leading visitors through shaded pause-areas with mist fountains and benches.

Within the Silent is a project of empathy. It does not occupy: it listens, reveals, connects. A homage to ruins, to wind, to light. To all that was already there.

Our design emerges from the extraordinary natural context of the Punta Bianca reserve. We virtually immersed ourselves in the landscape, breathing its air and envisioning ourselves as visitors to this breathtaking place. Pedestrian paths are designed to blend with the environment, featuring local plant species such as Lentiscus, Ferula, Iberis semperflores, Iris Juncea, Limonium virgatum, and Crithmum maritimum, enriching the Mediterranean scrub with scents and color. Vehicle access is limited to the existing parking area; all internal routes are pedestrian. The paths follow current trails, repaved with stabilized earth pigmented with natural essences. This eco- friendly solution—using local aggregates and on-site mixed binders—guarantees minimal environmental impact, permeability, and recyclability. A portion of the pathway includes blue-green photoluminescent gravel, which absorbs light during the day and glows at night, enhancing orientation and aesthetics. The final approach to the buildings features WPC decking—wood-like, yet resistant to wear and time. The historical Doganiere House, once home to customs officers, is reimagined as a place of transition and reflection. Its new inverted-cone shape combines lighthouse and customs house archetypes, creating a helical inner void. Inside, a spiral staircase made of corten steel and a central circular elevator lead to the rooftop belvedere. The house’s ruined shell becomes a carapace for the new structure, enclosing a circular walk that tells the story of the site with images and texts along the way. The space is enclosed in glass and climatically controlled. Adjacent is the Commons Pavilion, conceived as a multifunctional cultural hub. Its soft, wave-like form echoes the limestone cliffs of the site. The structure hosts a refreshment area, an exhibition hall for local and international artists, educational workshops, and a bookshop doubling as an info point. The pavilion opens toward the landscape through a large glazed façade. Its corten-clad roof, supported by a timber and metal structure, flows down to form a light metal mesh wall at the entrance—improving ventilation and softening the architectural impact. The flooring is compact Sicilian limestone sandstone, linking architecture and site through local materiality.

The Idea

What distinguishes the Mediterranean from other seas? One thing for sure is the high salinity, mainly caused due to the high evaporation in the Mediterranean, which causes more water to evaporate than is replenished by inflows. Another cause is the Messinian Salinity Crisis. 6 million years ago the Mediterranean dried out, in places leaving a salt crust several kilometres thick on the seabed. Around the ruin of the Punta Bianca is a beautiful white rock formation caused by sedimentation over thousands of years. Naturally the idea comes to mind to work with these processes and materials.

The Ruin

Currently in the state of obsolescence and decay the former customs house will be coated in salt, making it fade in with the rocks but also sparkle in the sun bringing it back to its former glory. But the salinization process will also damage the walls over a long time, leading to the inevitable destruction of the building. This is also highlighted with the use of scaffolding inside, holding up the roof. It is a symbol for demolition and reconstruction, representing a life cycle everything will sooner or later experience.

The Tower

Where is the salt water for the pipes drawn from? To fasten the process of salinization the salinity of the saltwater needs to be increased. Salt water is pumped into pipes on the outside of the tower and with the help of sun rays evaporated leaving us with two products: steam and brine. The brine is mixed with more salt water and can now be used to be sprayed on the facade. As a result, the salt coating will form way quicker than just by using the salt water as is. The steam however rises on the towers outer shell and is led under the roof where it condenses back to a liquid state, leaving us with freshwater. Thanks to the towers one-metre-thick walls, the temperature inside the tower should be way colder than the outside. This enables the process of condensation. Inside the tower are sanitary facilities which use the produced freshwater. To show the process to the public the second floor is a simple empty dark room with a very high ceiling. Having drops of water constantly falling down leading to a calm and meditative atmosphere.

The Souvenir

Where tourists are, there are souvenirs. In order to stand out from postcards, magnets and mugs the idea came up to incorporate the architectural concept. A salt shaker made out of regional natural stone is created, using the shape of the new built tower. Bringing together the salt, the various production processes, and the region’s craftsmanship to create a souvenir for everyday use that serves as a reminder of the place.

Rethinking Obsolescence – Mobile, Modular, Reusable

Our design sees the building not as a static object, but as a flexible system within a cycle of continuous use. It is intended to meet the demands of its lifespan – and beyond, offering potential for future applications.

The building elements are made primarily from wood, a recyclable or biodegradable material. Traditional carpentry joints are used wherever possible – eliminating the need for screws or nails – allowing for clean material separation and straightforward reuse. This extends the principle of resource efficiency into the future.

The technical building equipment (TBE) follows the same approach: housed in a compact, transportable module that fits on a standard truck, the system can be easily removed and rebuild in a new context. Sanitary spaces and the kitchen are positioned directly next to this module, minimizing piping and further simplifying dismantling and reinstallation.

Once its use at the original location comes to an end, the structure can be dismantled without leaving residues. The individual components are designed for easy reassembly at a new site – for example, as a pavilion. This creates a second lifespan for the construction: a new place of gathering, memory, or purpose.

In this way, a temporary structure becomes a flexible and future-ready system – prepared for its next task.

The tourist information center also serves as an educational hub for nature and the national park. School groups can engage in hands-on experiments and interactive learning, while hikers find a place to rest after their tour, refresh themselves in the café, and explore the evolving exhibition inside. From the upper floor, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of the surrounding landscape.

Existing parking spaces at the top of the hill are reused to minimize environmental impact, while the entire trail to the building remains car-free – with exceptions only for delivery and staff vehicles. This ensures a quiet and nature-friendly environment.

The path leading downhill from the former World War II bunker to the tourist center becomes an educational trail, featuring a series of interpretive panels that introduce visitors to the natural and historical context of the site. The bunker itself is repurposed as a scenic viewpoint, offering visitors a striking perspective of the valley and the surrounding landscape.

At the end of the trail, the Custom House ruin is partially integrated into the design. While sections of the existing masonry are stabilized to ensure safety and accessibility, others remain deliberately untouched – allowing the historic structure to be experienced as a walkable ruin.

Altogether, the result is a unique experience for all generations: a place of learning, reflection, and connection with both nature and cultural heritage.

The Ruin & Its Insert

Punta Bianca’s beauty lies in the intriguing atmosphere this place evokes. A lone ruin surrounded by untouched nature. It is integral to conserve the character of the former customshouse as a slowly decaying artefact.

Therefore restoration efforts to ensure structural safety must prioritize preserving its original appearance.

A freestanding insert is placed within the ruin. It is independent of the walls and almost invisible from the outside. The ruin is experienced across three levels:

On the Ground floor, there is a café with a terrace, an information desk, a kitchen, a storageunit, and restrooms.

The first floor houses the rotating exhibitions.

Above, the second floor offers a vantage point for panoramic views.

The floor layout echos the ruin’s decay. Irregular, overlapping cutouts remind us of collapsed ceilings. Allowing air and light to filter downward—without compromising the shade, which shelters visitors from Sicily’s sun. Staying 15–20°C cooler than the exterior.

Materiality & Memory

To honour the site’s history, we propose Corten steel made from recycled ship hulls and produced CO2-neutral with biogas. Its patina mirrors the ruin’s decay while offering a striking contrast to the stone.

The toilets, storage, and kitchen unit are similarly inserted into the floor plan. All materials and furniture are designed for disassembly and reuse, embodying reversible, sustainable construction.

New visitors

To ensure long-term relevance, we broaden the audience beyond tourists and hikers to include locals and students. With an estimated 3–60 daily visitors, the design accommodates two school classes simultaneously: one explores the ruin’s exhibition, while the other engages in an open-air laboratory within a secondary pavilion.

The Pavilion: A Future Ruin

To preserve the ruin’s solitary atmosphere, the pavilion sits distantly. Like a white dot surrounded by shrubbery, it blends into the rocky landscape. Its dome reinterprets vernacular architecture and the nearby bunker’s form. It is clad in white gypsum plaster to protect the clay from salt air. Over the next 50–75 years, this structure will erode, becoming another deliberate ruin.

Habitat & Legacy

Children layer the ruin’s debris into the gabions, creating new habitats for wildlife.

Timeline of Fading

10 years later: Punta Bianca thrives with visitors who linger in the shade of the café and exhibition. Schools frequent the open-air laboratory to study flora and fauna and build habitats.

50 years later: Storm-damaged gables are removed. The plaster on the dome shows its first cracks. Rising sea levels hint at change.

100 years later: The ruin succumbs to tides. The Corten steel insert is dismantled for reuse, leaving the original walls to vanish. The dome collapses, merging with the landscape as a new habitat. Only the gabions, teeming with life, endure. Though time renders the architecture obsolete, the site endures—a testament to transience, where visitors still come to witness nature reclaiming history.

the project is set within the evocative landscape of punta bianca, in agrigento, an area of significant historical and environmental value, marked by the presence of the “casa del doganiere” and the imposing white marl cliff, a distinctive geomorphological element of the site.

the main objective of the intervention is the regeneration of the area through an integrated approach based on environmental sustainability, enhancement of local identity, and technological innovation.

the core concept is that of a “diffuse village,” articulated around the existing volume of the casa del doganiere, which serves as the central hub. the architectural composition reflects the values of slow living, inclusion, and sociality, intrinsic to sicilian culture.

the masterplan is developed from a modular grid: the three new built volumes, sharing the same footprint, are positioned to generate open, interstitial spaces that engage in dialogue with the surrounding landscape and encourage social interaction.

the northern volume will house a café with an adjacent outdoor area and associated services; the casa del doganiere will contain an exhibition space, storage, and restrooms on the ground floor, while the upper level will be partially hollowed out to create a suspended belvedere, establishing a privileged visual connection with the coastal context. the southern volume will accommodate an info point, educational workshop, bookshop, and gift shop.

the intervention on the casa del doganiere entails a conservative restoration with minimal alterations to the ground floor. the upper floor will undergo a more radical transformation, with the opening of the north and south facades to create a panoramic space that strengthens the link between architecture and landscape.

the new buildings are constructed using dry-assembly techniques with locally sourced stone, maintaining material and chromatic continuity with the pre-existing structure, and aiming for visual mitigation and contextual integration.

external areas are paved with fully permeable surfaces to ensure natural rainwater infiltration and sustainable water management. travertine slabs from sicily punctuate the stone facades, adding rhythm and compositional dynamism. the elevations are based on an orthogonal grid, while the roofs feature curved forms, evoking the natural irregularities of the surrounding landscape.

from a bioclimatic and technological perspective, the new constructions avoid southern exposures, instead featuring large openings to the north and west to ensure diffuse natural lighting and optimal thermal comfort. green areas are strategically positioned to intercept prevailing winds and mitigate their temperature.

the project aspires to become a new social and cultural hub, fostering collective activities and strengthening community bonds.

through an architectural language that balances innovation with historical memory, the intervention restores dignity and meaning to a space that has long remained on the margins. the project’s name symbolizes the system of relationships between built form and landscape, between rigid and soft geometries, between neutral tones and vivid accents, and between past and present.

Located on the Mediterranean coast in Italy’s Agrigento region, the former “Customs Officer’s House” is a 19th-century architectural relic. Its remote location served a strategic role in deterring maritime smuggling through continuous territorial surveillance.

Today, the Customs House lies in ruins, invaded by nature and the sea breeze. However, it has acquired a symbolic and poetic character, standing out as a scenic landmark and a potential foundation for heritage restoration

The proposal seeks to represent the passage of time through different architectural styles that have shaped the history of Italy. The arch, as a characteristic element with its origins in ancient Rome, becomes the guiding thread of this temporal narrative. The Customs House represents the solid and functional architecture of the post-Napoleonic period, with a military and austere character. Finally, the contemporary intervention is expressed through a white steel roof, a symbol of contemporary architecture and the trend toward formal and structural simplification.

The periods portrayed in this architectural reuse proposal are presented as a spectacle in which nature and the environment are the true spectators. This staging reveals a constant tension between human presence and the passage of time, a silent battle to determine who will give in first. Just as we contemplate the landscape of the Sicilian coast, it is nature itself that patiently observes how humanity struggles to preserve what inevitably belongs to it.

Among the most evocative places in southern Sicily, Punta Bianca stands out for its visual strength and the intensity of its landscape: white marl cliffs, cobalt sea, pristine beaches and Mediterranean scrub make up a unique environment, suspended between earth and sky.

“Through the light” is the generating principle of the project. Each interior space is conceived as a perceptive chamber in which natural light enters, passes through, refracts, sculpts. The existing openings are maintained and reinterpreted, while new slits and skylights are delicately inserted, respecting the original structure.

A central role is entrusted to the new roof, designed to replace the one now lost. It does not simply close the space, but becomes a true environmental and sensorial device.

Divided into inclined planes and channels facing upwards, the roof channels the zenithal light and conveys it into the interior spaces, returning plays of shadows and reflections in continuous change. At the same time, its shape generates a chimney effect that follows the natural upward motion of hot air, thus promoting passive ventilation: the fresh air coming from the sea is sucked inwards, creating a natural cooling system.

The elevation facing the sea has also been reinterpreted: through targeted inclinations in the upper part of the roof, the façade acts as a real acoustic parabola, capable of channeling and amplifying the sounds coming from the coast. In particular, in the teaching room, the curved shape of the roof allows the sound of the waves to bounce, transforming it into a constant and enveloping background.

It is a place where light enters filtered, the air flows lightly and the soundscape becomes architecture, immersing the visitor in a complete, intimate and powerful sensory experience.

White is the color chosen for the new architectural elements, in homage to the white marl that defines the geological identity of Punta Bianca. It is a color that absorbs light, reflects it, sculpts it. The white surfaces become living screens on which the light variations of the day are projected, revealing the architecture through the shadow. White is not just matter, but a perceptive tool: it connects the new construction to the rock, and makes light the protagonist.

The Visitor Center is structured as a narrative path through essential and immersive spaces: a reception area, a library with a reading area, a temporary exhibition room, a classroom-workshop and a panoramic terrace overlooking the sea.

Each environment is designed not only to be enjoyed, but to offer a sensory and contemplative experience. The architecture becomes an active frame, which accompanies the visitor to slow down, observe and listen to the landscape. The challenge is both design and ethical: not to lose what time has built, but to regenerate it with respect and imagination.

In a landscape that lives on light, wind and silence, architecture must not impose itself, but disappear in the beauty of the place. And it is precisely through light, air and sound that this beauty is revealed.