projects

The Drugolo Estate is located in gently rolling farmlands near Italy’s beautiful Lake Garda. Its existing properties comprise a number of charming farm buildings in various states of repair clustered towards the architectural centrepiece — an 11th Century castle and the family home.

ReardonSmith developed a master plan for the owner to convert portions of his lands to an exclusive community of residences. This involved a delicate balance between the private domain of the family and the requirements of a successful village destination and between the architectural inheritance of the Estate and modern expectations of the resort environment.

The resulting scheme proposed the demolition of the most derelict buildings near the castle to make way for landscaping. However, the majority of the old buildings were to be retained and converted into apartments, massed to achieve a pedestrian friendly resort with a country club facility at its heart. At a further distance from the castle, the sloping gradient provided the location for new villas, built of traditional materials but with a contemporary interpretation, all with an ideal orientation towards the castle that encapsulates the spirit of this unique development.