Il Palazzo Mediceo di Ottaviano: il monumento desiderato.

The historic Palazzo Mediceo di Ottaviano stands as a monument to the rich cultural heritage of Campania. Nestled between the awe-inspiring Mount Vesuvius and the bustling streets of modern day Ottaviano, this magnificent palace contains over a thousand years of hidden history within its walls. The desired monument, built upon the idea that memory is not a given data but a critic point of view on history and a collective process, is an information trail, a museum installation and a permanent exhibition designed to offer to all inhabitants, for the first time in forty years, a pragmatic tool to get informations on an important piece of public heritage.

Context and problems to solve

The Palazzo Mediceo holds deep cultural meaning for the town of Ottaviano and the surrounding region, but in last forty years it stood as a controversial symbol of the history of Nuova Camorra Organizzata, a powerful criminal organisation owning the building  from 1980 to 1983. The property was then subject to judicial seizure and the Court of Naples ordered its confiscation in 1985. The free-of-charge transfer to the Municipality of Ottaviano was ratified in 1992. In 2003, after partial restauration, the municipality granted part of the building to the Vesuvius National Park on a free loan. The Palazzo Mediceo is nowadays a public building aiming to host cultural events. The mayor of Ottaviano and it’s culture department appointed the civil association Vesuvio Adventures to build up a public installation as a guide through the historic, artistic and architectural heritage of the Palazzo.

The Monument Project

The vision for the monument at Palazzo Mediceo was to bring the rich history of the site to life for visitors, and, for the first time to give access to verified sources. The main goal was to create an experience, combining a six panels installation and a and eight minutes screening, that honoured the stories, lives, and events that unfolded within the palace walls over centuries of time. Rather than just presenting static information, the Monumento desiderato, aims to activate the imagination and spark connections between past and present. Images from history of painting as well as photographs from personal archives, allow visitors to engage with history on a personal level and to eventually be provided with correct informations. This innovative approach makes the invisible visible at the Palazzo Mediceo. The layers of memory embedded in the architecture are unveiled through the Monumento desiderato design, based on a colour palette choice allying readability and  direct relationship to the buildings architecture. The Monumento desiderato, literally the desired monument – that is to say the story of the collective and public desire to turn heritage into a something useful for the town inhabitants –  ultimately brings new energy and perspective to a landmark. Palazzo Mediceo has now been provided with a branding and a tool to speak to future projects while honouring its role in of history.