User:WhatADayToday12/Villini Floreali

The Villini Floreali are a group of Liberty-style buildings in the Saragozza district of Bologna.

History
At the end of the 19th century, the Liberty style was introduced to Bologna by the Società Aemilia ars, promoted by Alfonso Rubbiani, an innovator of Bolognese style and architecture, and the architect behind the modern transformation of the medieval city. Aemilia Ars produced everyday objects such as lace, furniture, jewelry, and typography. At the same time, in 1889, the municipality implemented a new urban plan that envisaged a significant expansion of the city beyond the medieval walls.

In 1904, Paolo Sironi (1858-1927), an architect originally from Milan but operating in Bologna, obtained permission from the Office of Building and Art of the Municipality of Bologna to construct a new neighborhood near Via Saragozza on a piece of land he had purchased. This gave rise to the so-called Villini Floreali, villas for the city's upper-middle-class, built in the Liberty style near the city center.

The first villas were built on the private avenue named after Sironi (nowadays Via Audinot) and later along Via Roncati. Sironi not only brought the Liberty style from France to Italy, but also innovated the construction methods of the time. He invented some systems for lightweight prefabrication of building components and introduced an innovative concept of tiles that were easier to produce.

According to the principles of Liberty style, the buildings boast typical decorations, including floral and geometric motifs, extensive use of wrought iron for balcony railings and gates, the incorporation of decorated tile strips on the facades, and vibrant colors.

Sironi's vision was to introduce the concept of a garden city to Italy. In those years, Bologna was expanding beyond its medieval layout, enclosed within the walls. Sironi took advantage of the available space near the walls to create a series of buildings that explored a new relationship between interiors and exteriors, with the presence of numerous green spaces.