Tornare a corte: una nuova prospettiva di riuso per conservare memoria e identità di Palazzo Visconti Nuovo (Brignano Gera d’Adda – BG)

Palazzo Visconti in Brignano Gera d’Adda (BG) is a fine example of 18th-century Lombard “ville di delizia” architecture. Its location in the town center at the historical border between the Duchy of Milan and the Republic of Venice guaranteed control over the land for ages, influencing the development of the historical town and interactions with its residents. It is a complex of several buildings dating from the late 13th century - when initially including a fortification - to the 18th when it took on its current layout: a sumptuous aristocratic residence with ornate courtyards, an Italian-style garden, two coffee houses, and many Baroque-decorated rooms. However, sad events involving its owners kept the huge Palazzo Nuovo closed for decades, jeopardizing the preservation of its artistic and architectural heritage. This study proposes a future scenario that could make it a protagonist again in the local community activities and beyond. In this direction, solutions have been designed to disseminate and enhance this cultural witness obscured by years of neglect and carelessness. An invisible thread ties the Palazzo Visconti Nuovo to the memory of the entire town: in the past, it was a founding element of this community, and now it can no longer remain inaccessible.