Villa La Saracena

Project by Luigi Moretti in Santa Marinella (1955-1957)

In the mid-50s, along the coast of Santa Marinella, Luigi Moretti designs one of his most poetic and experimental architectures: Villa La SaracenaA summer residence designed to engage with the Mediterranean through pathways, axial lines, and sudden glimpses of light that reveal a unique relationship between the built space and the landscape.

The entire project is an exercise in plastic freedom: broken volumes, compact masses facing the street and generous openings towards the sea, an internal promenade that guides the gaze to the horizon.

Context and genesis of the project

The villa was originally a private residence on an irregular lot overlooking the sea. Moretti works on the theme of double frontality:

street side → closed, compact, almost introverted;
sea side → open, scenic, bright.

The floor plan unfolds like an architectural path, rather than a simple set of spaces. Each element seems designed to frame a portion of sky, sea, or garden.

Architecture and space

The internal promenade

The villa is structured like a "moving story": from the entrance, you pass through a series of spaces that gradually open up to the light. It's a sensory journey, where the transition from darkness to light is calibrated with great theatricality.

The tower and the walls

The small stair tower and irregular volumes create an interplay of solids and voids that defines the house's identity. Moretti works with forms that tend toward sculpture, seeking a tactile and physical relationship with the material.

The sea front

Here the villa changes tone completely: large glass areas, suspended terraces and a system of overhangs that amplify the perception of space and the panorama.

Materials and construction details

The villa displays particular attention to surfaces and textures. The original plaster, made from a mixture of white cement, marble dust, and a "broom" finish, creates luminous vibrations that change throughout the day.

The light, suspended, overhanging roofs are another distinctive feature: they almost float over the main volume, lightening the wall mass and opening up unexpected views towards the sea.

Degradation, restoration and rebirth

Over the years, the villa suffered a long period of neglect. Photographs from 2016-2017 show an advanced state of decay: damaged plaster, invasive vegetation, and deteriorated structures.

The restoration, completed in 2019, restored the clarity of the original design, restoring surfaces, colors, pathways, and the visual connection with the landscape. It was a careful and respectful enhancement project, restoring La Saracena to its former glory.

Meaning of the work

Villa La Saracena is considered one of the most representative works of Moretti's spatial research.
It includes:

formal experimentation
light control
constructive wisdom
a clear desire to create an experience more than a simple living container

The house does not simply “stand” in the landscape: interprets it, amplifies it and makes it part of the architecture itself.

Conclusion

With its restoration, Villa La Saracena returns not only to being a precious example of modern Italian architecture, but also a place capable of expressing a way of living profoundly linked to the Mediterranean, to light, and to movement.