Iron Solutions for Safety and Security

Famous for its association with the story of Paolo and Francesca as told by Dante in the Divine Comedy, Gradara Fortress – or Rocca di Gradara to use its Italian name – is a prominent landmark in the Marche region of central Italy. Listed as part of Italy’s national heritage since 1983, the fortress now houses a museum on its main floor, while its outdoor spaces serve as a premier venue for various public and private events. Faced with an influx of visitors, the Regional Directorate of Museums of Marche commissioned the Plus Ultra practice to design a project to bring the area up to current safety standards, requiring both extensive work outside the castle walls and specific work on the main floor where the exhibition space is located.

In this historically and culturally significant setting, Gonzato Group, specialized in iron and metal architecture, played a crucial role in finding the optimal solutions for the project. In collaboration with Plus Ultra, the company designed a new iron parapet that offers a robust transparency that blends seamlessly with the fortress masonry in the background. This structure, composed of thin horizontal elements, reflects the proportions of the original battlements and reinterprets them in a contemporary style, while minimizing the dimensions of each component. This approach achieves a visually subtle solution that preserves an unobstructed view of the castle in its entirety. A similar strategy was used in the construction of a new flight of steps with non-parallel ramps designed to accommodate the irregular slope of the site, minimizing its impact on the landscape. These steps serve as both an emergency exit and a connection between the parade ground and the internal road.

The color of the materials used for the project, chosen by Gonzato Group after careful research into the fortress’s historical elements and the detailed used of sampling, is Gaubraun with a matte embossed finish. For the interior of the museum, however, it was not possible to completely hide the sensors, cameras, fire extinguishers and other essential safety equipment so panels with iron frames and a sheet metal infill were chosen to mitigate the impact, creating a contemporary element that blends in with the surrounding context.