Borgobello Puppet Theatre, image courtesy HOF | Photo by Antonio Cibelli & Bernardo Corsetti

The Borgobello Puppet Theatre (the first of its kind in Italy) regards the restructuring and conversion of an old military stables building and aims at providing puppet show companies with a stable base in comparison to the former provisional conditions. The original nineteenth century building is located in the historical city centre of Perugia in an picturesque interstitial space between the Basilica of San Domenico, the Palazzo dell'Inquisizione and the Parco Santa Margherita, that used to be excluded from the city's vital network.

Borgobello Puppet Theatre, image courtesy HOF | Photo by Antonio Cibelli & Bernardo Corsetti

From un urban point of view the project seeks to revitalize this space by making it become part of the city introducing a new attractive use. From an architectural point of view the project treats the original building with respect, limiting the restructuring to the strictly necessary works to introduce the new function – a function which is as different from the original use as it is unique in its context (mainly retail, restaurants etc.).

Borgobello Puppet Theatre, image courtesy HOF | Photo by Antonio Cibelli & Bernardo Corsetti

The linear shaped original building was divided in five parts: the main entrance with foyer, ticket office, wardrobe and lavatories (characterized by a series of graphic and chromatic inserts), the theatre hall (characterized by the wooden roof and chairs upholstered in fabric of different colors), the stage (characterized by the unusual rust-colored curtain), the back stage services, the puppet exhibition and the technical-didactic laboratory (characterized by a crowd of handcrafted puppets and masks). The picturesque configuration of the exterior is challenged only by the doors and steles in rusted steel, that mark the walking path in exposed aggregate concrete, enhanced by the linear steel drain.

Borgobello Puppet Theatre – Plan, drawing courtesy HOF

+ Project credits

Client
Municipality of Perugia

Project manager
Municipality of Perugia (Luigi Pigliautile)

Location
via del Castellano, Perugia (Italy)

Architectural design
HOF (Paolo Belardi, Simone Bori, Alessio Burini, Carl Volckerts), Municipality of Perugia (Angela Pollacci)

Structural engineering
HOF (Roberto Baliani), Francesco Guarino

Electric and special engineering
Matteo Passeri

Mechanical engineering
Municipality of Perugia (Massimo Corbucci)

Fire prevention
Enrico Caini

Building site supervisor
Municipality of Perugia (Angela Pollacci)

Artistic supervisor
HOF (Carl Volckerts)

Contractor
Edilizia 3M srl

Surface
330 m2

Chronology
project 2009
realization 2010-2012

+ All images courtesy HOF | Photo by Antonio Cibelli & Bernardo Corsetti