Villa Lante

Client

The Finnish Institute in Rome

Information

2025

What we did

Interior Architecture

Location

Rome Italy. Photos Flaminia Lera

Villa Lante is an extremely well preserved Renaissance villa located on the Gianicolo Hill in Rome, completed in 1531. The Finnish state acquired the building in 1950, and it houses both the Finnish Institute in Rome and the Embassy of Finland to the Holy See. The Institute accommodates grant recipients, researchers, and artists in Villa Lante. It also maintains a research library. The Salone (banquet hall) and Loggia (colonnade) of the main floor serve as a stage for many cultural events and occasions.

The new interior concept of Villa Lante is a unified artistic whole that highlights the interiors of the protected spaces. The building’s role as a meeting place for two cultures is reflected in furnishings and textile choices. Alongside the villa’s antique furniture, modern Finnish flair was introduced – tomorrow’s design classics stand out as part of the broader historical setting. The result is a rich entity that emphasizes layers of different eras and reflects the various stages and uses of the building. Architectural lead design: ALA Architects.

The backbone of the new concept is formed by the architecture and materials of this magnificent Renaissance building, the intense color palette of its ceiling frescoes, and the 19th-century antique furniture acquired at the time of the Institute’s founding. The building’s color scheme is emphasized with custom-woven fabrics that boldly play with the contrast between old and new, creating a fresh and unified interior