Verdura Resort | ASA studio albanese

The resort is named after the grand Verdura family who once owned the land on which the property exists today. The last Duke of Verdura was a cousin of the renown Italian writer Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa. His masterpiece, the novel The Leopard, can be found in every bedroom.

FOUNDERS: Sir Rocco Forte and Ms. Olga Polizzi

Architect: Mr. Flavio Albanese
Director of Design: Ms. Olga Polizzi

Architecture
Verdura Resort fuses strong, modernist, environmentally-sensitive architecture with design that is simultaneously luxurious, yet firmly rooted in Sicilian culture. Inspired by the spectacular Mediterranean setting the Italian architect Albanese used local colours such as Latin terracotta and ochre, and varying textures by mixing local materials such as stone, sand and wood. Strong geometrical lines characterize the buildings, likened to the design of traditional Sicilian houses.

Interior design
Rocco Forte Hotels’ Director of Design, Olga Polizzi, led the design of the resort, creating a tangible sense of place, a pared-down, contemporary edge and a simplicity that is in keeping with the local culture. Sicily’s landscape is rustic and rugged and this is reflected in the square, strong forms as well as the hot colors used. Ceramics are handcrafted locally and the furniture as been tailor made by Italian ateliers. A warm botanical motif drawn from an antique Sicilian maiolica tile is used to accentuate the soft furnishing. Luxurious space, intelligent design, comfort and privacy characterize the 203 rooms at Verdura, all with sea view. 

Environment
The resort has been conceived with a particular attention to the environment. It incorporates essential ecological features, including solar energy and photovoltaic panels for electricity.
There is also water-recycling which is particularly important in Sicily, where rainfall is concentrated around short periods of the year. Furthermore, there is a no-car policy in the resort in order to preserve the beauty of the landscape.