Rocco Design Architects Associates Ltd 嚴迅奇建築師事務所

Gabella Gate

Gabella Gate
© Rocco Valentini

Gabella Gate 

Rocco Valentini Architecture

LEAD ARCHITECTS
Rocco Valentini

MANUFACTURERS
Italiafili S.r.l., L&l Luce&light, Metalglas Bonomi Srl

PHOTOGRAPHS
Rocco Valentini 

AREA
300 M²

YEAR
2022 

LOCATION
Ripa Teatina, Italy

CATEGORY
Visitor Center, Historic Preservation-

Text description provided by architect.

The ruined “Porta Gabella” of Ripa Teatina has been revived with the insertion of a clearly distinguishable architectural element from the context, a cor-ten steel structure, enclosed by an envelope of vertical strings, through a contemporary language full of echoes of medieval architecture.

Gabella Gate
© Rocco Valentini
Gabella Gate
© Rocco Valentini
Gabella Gate
© Rocco Valentini

A dreamlike interpretation of the medieval gate, its shape suggests a metaphoric image of two stylized door leaves that open outwards.

The suspended walkways, that connect the various structure, take inspiration from the medieval wood walkway, leaning against the fortification walls that allowed the connection between the defensive towers.

The main goal was to sew up the urban fabric with a polyfunctional structure able to connect the ancient environments and the pedestrian pathways of the old town but also to create a structure capable to turn in an outdoor stage for musical and artistic performances.

Gabella Gate
© Rocco Valentini
Gabella Gate
© Rocco Valentini
Gabella Gate
© Rocco Valentini

From the ground floor of the tower, through an existing underground tunnel, you enter the rooms of the adjacent building, and thanks to a new stairway and walkways in cor-ten steel we realized a link between the rooms of the Aragonese tower, the rooms of the garrisons and the alleys of the Old Town.

The defensive walls of Ripa Teatina, equipped with circular watchtowers, added in the XV century, after the Aragonese conquest, encircled the inhabited area from the southeast; the town was accessible through two large gates flanked by another watchtower.

The gates were demolished during the Second World War, leaving an urban void and a disconnection between the defensive structures and the town center.

Gabella Gate
© Rocco Valentini
Gabella Gate
© Rocco Valentini

Where once the Gabella gate stood, there was just a large stairway.

From the studies of the floor plans and from the historical photos It’s been possible to reconstruct the original shape of the tower.

Originally it looked connected with the adjacent building through a transversal masonry structure that allowed the direct passage between the two bodies and made all the levels of the tower accessible.

Gabella Gate
© Rocco Valentini
Gabella Gate
© Rocco Valentini


Gabella Gate
© Rocco Valentini
Gabella Gate
© Rocco Valentini
Gabella Gate
© Rocco Valentini
Gabella Gate
© Rocco Valentini
Gabella Gate
© Rocco Valentini
Gabella Gate
© Rocco Valentini
Gabella Gate
© Rocco Valentini
Gabella Gate
© Rocco Valentini


Gabella Gate
© Rocco Valentini
Gabella Gate
© Rocco Valentini
Gabella Gate
© Rocco Valentini
Gabella Gate
© Rocco Valentini
Gabella Gate
© Rocco Valentini
Gabella Gate
© Rocco Valentini


Gabella Gate
Ground Floor Plan
Gabella Gate
First Level
Gabella Gate
Second Level
Gabella Gate
tirth-level
Gabella Gate
Fourth Level
Gabella Gate
Roof Plan


Gabella Gate
section
Gabella Gate
Section
Gabella Gate
Section
Gabella Gate
Section
Gabella Gate
Section
Gabella Gate
Section


Gabella Gate
Elevation
Gabella Gate
© Rocco Valentini

Rocco Design Architects Associates Ltd 嚴迅奇建築師事務所
T +852 2528 0128 F +852 252 92135
Rocco Design Architects Associates Ltd 嚴迅奇建築師事務所
32F, Citicorp Centre 18 Whitfield Road North Point, Hong Kong 香港北角威菲路道萬國寶通中心32樓