Doragno Castle

by Maria Mazza
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2021-03-29 00:00:00
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International
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142 / EN

Heritage renovation

Building Type : Historic castle, other freaky buildings,…
Construction Year : 2014
Delivery year : 2017
Address 1 - street : via doragno 1 6721 ROVIO, Switzerland
Climate zone : [Cwa] Mild, dry winter, hot and wet summer.

Net Floor Area : 490 m² Other

Primary energy need :
45.62 kWhpe/m².year
(Calculation method : Other )

Energy consumption

Economical buildingBuilding

< 50A

51 à 90B

91 à 150C

151 à 230D

231 à 330E

331 à 450F

> 450G

Energy-intensive building

The castle of Doragno was born from the transformation of an ancient medieval castle into a private residence where the existing building, which did not enhance the castle, has been subsequently restored, giving a new breath to the ancient walls of the building, and completed with a new zero-energy building (NZEB) also using renewable solar energy in an integrated roof solution. The original stone walls are highlighted by large windows that complete the volume of the existing building. An integrated photovoltaic system and solar collectors are installed on the roof.

Heritage Significance

Elements worthy of preservation

In building restoration and conservation field, the architects of the project considers that the following aspects need to be preserved: 1: the volume and shape of the building ; 2: the skin of the building ; 3: the history of the building

Heritage value assesment

In this project it was chosen to preserve only the medieval part of the building. This choice was made because the interventions done in the sixties did not help to preserve the history of the castle and where even hiding some medieval parts. The cultural heritage office supervisors approved the project and agreed with reflections and considerations from architects. In this project the architects have re-created the shape of the castle using modern materials that differ from the original ones but don't dominate and discretely approach to ancient parts.

State of repair

Conditions of the envelope

The building was restored preserving the walls and completing the volume with new materials that with the aim not to drown out the old part of the building, but to enhance it. The building is used as a private residence and consists of two main buildings: one to the west that includes a basement and 2 floors above ground, and one to the east that includes 3 floors above ground.

Pre-intervention building services

Defence castle built during the war between Como and Milan (1118-1127). In the last fifty years the building had mono-familiar residential use.

Data reliability

3rd part certified

Photo credit

deltaZERO & Luciano Carugo

Contractor

Name : Doragno sa

Construction Manager

Name : deltaZERO sa

Contact : via Zorzi 18, CH-6900 Paradiso; +41 91 994 77 55; dz@deltazero.com

Stakeholders

Function : Others

Function : Thermal consultancy agency

Function : Structures calculist

Function : Others

Owner approach of sustainability

Single-family house, restoration and new building extension. Private residence building (historic not-listed building in Ticino) with NZEB target using also solar renewables energy in an integrated roof solution. The castle of Doragno was born from the transformation of an ancient medieval castle. The original stone walls are highlighted by the large windows that complete the volume of the existing building. An integrated photovoltaic system and solar collectors are installed on the roof.

Architectural description

The architects have re-created the shape of the castle using modern materials that differ from the original ones but don't dominate and discretely approach to ancient parts.

In building restoration and conservation field, the architects of the project considers that the following aspects need to be preserved: 1: the volume, the shape of the building 2: the skin of the building 3: the history of the building. The building was restored preserving the walls and completing the volume with new materials that with the aim not to drown out the old part of the building, but to enhance it. The building is used as a private residence and consists of two main buildings, one to the west that includes a basement and 2 floors above ground and one to the east that includes 3 floors above ground.

Energy consumption

Primary energy need : 45,62 kWhpe/m².year
Primary energy need for standard building : 150,00 kWhpe/m².year

Calculation method : Other

Systems

Heating system :

Heat pump
Low temperature floor heating
Solar thermal

Hot water system :

Heat pump
Solar Thermal

Cooling system :

Reversible heat pump
Floor cooling

Ventilation system :

Double flow heat exchanger

Renewable systems :

Solar photovoltaic
Solar Thermal
Heat pump

Construction and exploitation costs

Additional information on costs :

The stakeholders do not wish to display the costs of this building.

Urban environment

Doragno Castle is surrounded by a large park. Its wide glass walls connect internal spaces with the externals.

Some public services and stores are located about a 1.5 kilometers away.

The castle of Doragno had a strategic location: it was build on a promontory and it was a point of observation and defence along the way to the Mara and Intelvi valleys. It was a part of a path bordered by fortified castles and watchtowers built at regular intervals on the way to the Alps.

The restoration project of 11th century Doragno Castle is based on the dialogue of the building with the surrounding landscape and on the integration of energy producing technology in the building’s skin.

The photovoltaic system and the solar thermal system cover the total annual consumption of energy needed for heating and cooling of the complex.

The roof, made of opaque black PV panels with the inclusion of the needed solar panels, disappears in the dark vegetation of the forest and the large glass surfaces that complete the volume of the building reflect the context: what emerges from the landscape are the stone walls of the old manor house.