Villa Arata di Gio Ponti a Napoli tra identità razionalista e tradizioni mediterranee

In the 20th century, the rediscovery of Mediterranean culture’s ideal led architects and scholars to ponder over the relationship between modern architecture and the vernacular tradition. The concept of “Mediterraneanity” involved a dialogue between modern tendencies and popular ar-chitecture. It was sometimes examined to revive its theoretical foundations, and at other times, used as an experimental laboratory for new production. The spontaneous constructions of the Mediterranean coasts were acknowledged for their rationality of rules, validated by centuries of experience in satisfying primary needs while upholding the principles of harmony, rigour, beauty, and necessity. In vernacular architecture, the importance of the relationship with cli-mate, nature, and environment was rediscovered, and this became the inspiration for new con-structions. In this context, Gio Ponti expressed his idea of a “Mediterranean rationalism”; Villa Arata in Na-ples served as a manifesto for this production, featuring numerous comfort devices rooted in the vernacular millenary output. Unfortunately, recent intrusive transformations have altered its image, form, and even comfort levels. Therefore, it is crucial to identify architectural systems, forms, and compositions that have multiple significant roles and to govern any changes that may have a potential impact on the built environment.