Palazzo Rhinoceros Fendi

Born out of Mrs Alda Fendi and the foundation that bears her name’s will, Palazzo Rhinoceros is the result of the reconversion of an historic building in the heart of Ancient Rome, situated between the Arch of Janus and Saint George in Velabro Church. The project by starchitect AJN Ateliers Jean Nouvel turned the abandoned building into a luxury hospitality structure with 24 artist residences, a cafeteria, panoramic restaurants and spaces dedicated to art exhibitions, something Mrs Fendi is really devoted to.
The project is animated by all the elements the building is immersed into: Roman history, traces left by the inhabitants that once lived into the apartments and the architectural configuration of the building itself. In this shell, deeply respected and exalted by the architect, made of walls with layers of plaster, optical tiles and framed windows, a contemporary-style intervention took place with the insertion of stainless steel functional blocks, pieces of furniture based on a chromatic palette that give rhythm to spaces and finishes.

The steel blocks, soul and identity of this project, appear to be still monoliths put into the rooms. They can actually be opened (some of them being equipped with engine rockets, flush doors, sliding doors, …) and contain the bathroom and kitchenette without disturbing the expressive strength of the original space and being at the same time the creators of the room layout.

Devoto Design took care of all the fixed and loose furniture, carrying out also the wall finish works, joinery works, metal carpentry works and supply of all doors and windows. The materials range from solid wood to stainless steel, epoxy resin and solid surface.

Some numbers:
3.500 sqm surface
8.080 shop drawing activity hours
10.356 Project Management hours
9.149 manufacturing hours
18.105 installation hours