Atelier MAdreMAteria

DESIGNER

ATELIER MADREMATERIA

MadreMateria is a research and experimentation workshop born to continue the experience gained in the enhancement of Pantelleria’s architectural and landscape heritage, giving voice to the creative and holistic vision of Elena Pancaldi, architect and designer, who has been an islander by adoption for over twenty years.

Graduated in Architecture from the Politecnico di Milano in 1997, she opened ELENAPANCALDISTUDIO in Modena where she lives and works, leading a team composed of architects, designers, landscapers, and graphic designers engaged in predominantly residential architecture projects, luxury retail, hospitality, landscape, and collectible design.

Over time, a series of site-specific works studied for Pantelleria have encouraged the development of a very personal approach to the themes of recovering Pantelleria’s vernacular architecture and preserving the spirit of the place.

It is from the virgin material of Pantelleria that those extraordinary examples of Mediterranean vernacular architecture, the dammusi, as well as the terraced landscape that characterizes the entire territory of the island, have been generated. Living in a dammuso means living inside the material.

From here, the inspiration for Opificio Ceramico takes shape, leading to a dialogue with Atelier MadreMateria that has resulted in the creation of a ceramic product dedicated to the enhancement and restoration of the island’s unique architectural heritage. At the same time, it is usable in any other architectural project where a material with high-performance technical characteristics and unique aesthetics and materiality is required.

TO INHABIT A DAMMUSO MEANS TO LIVE WITHIN THE MATERIAL. TO EXPERIENCE ITS INTIMATE GATHERING. AN ALLIANCE BETWEEN MAN AND NATURE WHEREBY THE MATERIAL OFFERS ITSELF IN ITS PHYSICAL IDENTITY AND WITH THE CHARACTERISTICS INHERENT TO ITS NATURE. HERE, THERE IS NO ANCIENT DILEMMA BETWEEN FORM AND FUNCTION. HERE, THE MATERIAL IS CULTURE, AN EMOTIONAL MEMORY THAT BECOMES PART OF THE INTIMATE NARRATIVE OF THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN USING IT FOR CENTURIES AND RESPECT IT. THE MATERIAL BEHAVES LIKE A SECOND NATURE. AND TIME PERPETUALLY TAKES CARE OF IT.

The island lays in the narrowest point of the Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Africa as an historical crossroad of cultures. Its untouched landascape hide most of the architectural jewels , the so called dammusi, as well as several naturalistic treasures rare exemple of colours and lights of the Mediterranean Sea. The dammuso of Pantelleria originated as a rural construction to shelter from the incessant wind and strong heat, utilizing the abundant availability and unique qualities of the volcanic material. Indeed, the walls are built with volcanic stone, dry-stacked, cyclopean, with thicknesses up to a meter and a half, which ensure insulation against the intense summer heat and the humid winter climate. Similarly, the small dimensions of windows and doors which, skillfully oriented, allow the right amount of light and air to enter the interior spaces, creating a completely unique atmosphere. All construction elements serve a specific function.

TODAY, THE RESPECT FOR TRADITION COMBINED WITH THE CREATIVITY OF A FEW ARCHITECTS HAS TRANSFORMED ANCIENT DAMMUSI INTO HOUSES WITH A PARTICULAR CHARM. THE ABSENCE OF ELEMENTS COMMON TO OUR DAILY LIVING MAKES THE EXPERIENCE UNIQUE: NO LONGER DOORS BETWEEN THE ROOMS BUT A SUCCESSION OF SINUOUS CORRIDORS AND NARROW PASSAGES CARVED INTO THE THICK WALLS. BUT ALSO SUGGESTIVE ALCOVES IN WHICH TO SLEEP AND SOFT VAULTED CEILINGS THAT FOLLOW FROM ROOM TO ROOM.