Villa Giomi, Lucca

Villa Giomi, now known as Palazzo Grossi, is a stately home located on Via Matteo Civitali in the San Marco district of Lucca. Designed by architect Ing. Arturo Caprotti and commissioned by the Giomi family, the villa was built in 1913 using reinforced concrete, setting it apart from other early 20th-century residences in the area.

Originally, Villa Giomi was a two-story structure with a terraced roof, while the northern section featured a third floor dedicated to servant accommodations. Over time, modifications transformed its layout: an additional apartment was constructed on the terrace, and in 1946, the new owners expanded the northern section by adding a level.

Standing prominently in a vast garden, the villa distinguishes itself from the surrounding architecture of Viale Matteo Civitali. While it shares a chronological context with neighboring early 20th-century villas, it contrasts in construction and decorative materials, utilizing faux ashlar, exposed brick, and concrete embellishments. However, it maintains the common stylistic feature of a prominently accentuated central façade, adorned with intricate decorative elements.

With a complex and articulated layout, the building spans three floors above ground, plus a cellar, and features a hipped roof with Marseille tiles. The façade facing Viale Matteo Civitali showcases an ornate entrance, flanked by two openings with a decorative bas-relief frieze above. A large circular terrace, accessible via two side ramps, extends from this façade, enhancing its grandeur.

The villa’s ground floor, except for the east side, features faux cushion ashlar for texture, while windows have ornate architraves with phytomorphic and floral motifs. The first floor showcases exposed brickwork, sculpted architraves, and parapeted windows with small columns. Wrought iron columns and concrete elements support multiple terraces. On the second floor, a protruding concrete cornice, part of the original roof terrace, runs along three elevations.

Villa Giomi (Palazzo Grossi) remains a significant architectural landmark in Lucca, blending historical craftsmanship with innovative early 20th-century construction techniques.