Refurbishment – it’s not a new thing

07.04.2010

On a recent trip to Lucca in Tuscany, I visited the Piazza del’Anfiteatro. An intriguing space – the square is an oval and very simple in nature. The buildings that form the oval are stucco with punched windows and vary in height by a storey or two. The Piazza has a very comfortable feel to it – like a familiar pair of shoes: lived in, not needing to make a statement.
But it is the outside of the Piazza that is fascinating, because there you can see the original arches of the Roman amphitheatre that used to sit outside the walls of the original Roman settlement. Makes you realise that the concept of refurbishment and the change of use of buildings has been relevant for a long time!