Apir Project for the Villa Igiea Hotel in Palermo between history and future

The #apir project for the #hotel Villa Igiea in #palermo is born form the meeting of two historical companies that today combine the value of tradition and the strength of a contemporary brand, with a vision orientated towards the future.

Located on the Gulf of #palermo, 2 km from the port and in a panoramic position, #hotel Villa Igiea is an accommodation facility of the Rocco Forte #hotel chain, the client who trusted #apir for this project, whose first graphic proposals were developed in 2019 and the completion of the works and the full installation took place in July 2021.

Owned by the Florio family, Villa Igiea was the favorite destination of Donna Franca, Ignazio Florio’s wife, who used it both as a family villa and as a #hotel to accommodate her many guests, of which some of the most renowned people at that time. It was redesigned as far as possible by the Architect Ernesto Basile – one of the protagonists of the Liberty and Modernism at the time – and inaugurated as a #hotel in 1900.

For its fascinating history and structural characteristics, the Villa Igiea project required APIR’s extensive involvement and specific #design commitment to find a signage solution that combine artistic and cultural heritage with the traditional high-end #hotel usability. The sign had to reference the Liberty style inspired by the environments but, at the same time, it had to be functional to allow the customer to easily find all the hotel’s services. The biggest challenge was to ensure fast, efficient and effective access to services for all guests, as expected from a modern high-end #hotel.

The type of work involved the production and installation of interior directional signage for all four floors of the #hotel, security signage, and exterior signage, including the gardens. Overall, the areas of the facilities worked on are: interior/exterior/gardens/private port dock area.

PRODUCT CUSTOMIZATION

There was a focus on the study of customized and exclusive elements for the client at the level of signage, key rings, room bells. Specifically, the specifications of the products used in the project are as follows:

Indoor signage: LETB Lettering with bar
Keychains: HEXAGON
Outdoor signage: GARDEN
Safety signs: SURETE
Doorbell: BELL

For the #villaigieahotel, the noble material par #excellence, brass, was chosen in a light burnished shade, to give it a vintage patina of time. The font chosen for all the signage refers to the Liberty style and Art Nouveau, to give an overall elegant and harmonious style.

Credits to report, photographers and actors involved

Project management: Stefania Campestri
Contractor: Studio Elisa Ferrari
Project realized in collaboration with: Carmelo Marino PM Rocco Forte Hotels

Photo service by Valerio Colizzi