"
Restoring the enchantment of Villa Medici" is the title of a renovation program launched in 2022, aimed at promoting contemporary design by bringing it into dialogue with historical heritage and Italian craftsmanship. Under the
direction of Sam Stourdzé, the program began with the refurbishment of the reception rooms curated by Kim Jones and Silvia Venturini Fendi, and continued with the redesign of the historic bedrooms by India Mahdavi. The most recent phase involved the renovation of the guest rooms:"We entrusted six rooms at Villa Medici to teams of architects and designers who worked closely with artisans, fostering a spirit of dialogue across different disciplines," explains Sam Stourdzé. "The idea was to transform the experience of these spaces, giving them new uniqueness through a strong artistic gesture. Villa Medici is an extraordinary ground for experimentation."
The designers and artisan studios were selected by a jury of experts that included Alberto Cavalli of
Homo Faber, Domitilla Dardi of
Edit Napoli, Hedwige Gronier of the
Fondation Bettencourt Schueller, Hervé Lemoine of the
Mobilier National, Christine Macel from the
Musée des Arts Décoratifs, India Mahdavi, Isabelle de Ponfilly, and Sam Stourdzé from the French Academy in Rome."I find Director Stourdzé’s approach—and more broadly the French context—remarkably forward-thinking in its regard for artisans, who are referred to as '
les partenaires,' a term that emphasizes their importance to the project," says Patrizia Mian of Incalmi.