History Meets Innovation

By Editorial Staff - 16 June 2025
Finstral has participated in the project

The history of this noble palazzo on Via di Ripetta in Rome spans more than five centuries. Just steps from Piazza del Popolo, it began life in the 16^th century as the domus magna of the Serroberti brothers, prominent spice merchants, later passing to Amerigo Capponi, vice castellan of Castel Sant’Angelo, and eventually housing the Embassy of Malta. Today, following a major renovation, upgrade and restoration by Zaha Hadid Architects, Palazzo Capponi has been reimagined as Romeo Roma, a luxury boutique hotel where the building’s rich past engages in constant dialogue with architectural innovation, art, design and culinary culture. One of the project’s greatest challenges was preserving and elevating the building’s historic heritage within a contemporary hospitality setting – a task that became even trickier when archaeological remains were unearthed during construction. As a result, Romeo Roma has also been designated an archaeological site in its own right. Despite this, across its 74 rooms and suites, elegant public spaces, the wellness area, restaurants and bars, the hotel still manages to blend contemporary design and innovation with heritage detail. Flowing, sculptural lines, restored historic artifacts and major works by contemporary artists coexist in perfect a balance elevated by precious materials like marble, lava stone, glass and ebony.

Finstral’s key contribution to this dialogue of eras was a series of high-performance window systems that combine thermal and acoustic insulation with a minimal environmental footprint. The team selected two essential, technologically advanced solutions: FIN-Project Cristal windows and FIN-Vista glass walls. The Cristal line, with its design based on concealed frames, blurs the boundary between inside and out to exalt the sweeping views of the Eternal City. The FIN-Vista system balances natural light, energy efficiency and sound insulation. In the spa, the same system was custom configured as a single continuous glazed surface, framing views of the garden and the ruins of an ancient Roman house.

On the façade of the “Asilo” wing, FIN-Project Nova-line windows were installed, pairing high performance with a crisp, minimalist look.

For the large windows in the guest rooms overlooking the inner courtyard, the team chose Finstral’s Parsol Grey glass for the exterior, as it has distinctive tinted glazing that provides protection from direct sunlight while still allowing in plenty of natural light. Additional fixed and operable glazed elements are installed all along the perimeter of the building, opening onto various parts of the resort, including the Michelin-starred restaurant run by chef Alain Ducasse.

For Finstral, the project began with a clear objective: to integrate advanced glazing systems into a building steeped in history. The result is a refined, minimalist environment with a timeless sense of place.