The palace of the Bari waterworks was designed by the engineer Cesare Brunetti in 1924 and completed in 1932. The Apulian Romanesque is the dominant style of the building and it was chosen because of its consistency with the local tradition. Duilio Cambellotti designed the furniture and the decorations inspired by water and used specialized firms for the production of the furniture, the stained-glass windows and the decorations in marble, terracotta and wrought iron. On the first and the second floor, it is possible to appreciate wonderful frescos representing horses, swallows and jeux d’eau. Moreover, there is quite a large wool carpet representing the life cycle of water, from spring to supply. In 2000, the building had some changes, especially on the first floor, because of the opening of a museum about the history of AQP, a conference room and a library with multimedia and photography archives.
Architecture:
Brunetti took the decision to use architectural shapes inspired by the Apulian Romanesque style because it could made it possible a better integration with the urban context of the city. The style and materials used to build the palace helped to integrate it with the urban tissue, stimulating the points of contact with the monuments of the region. The outer part of the building has been faced with Trani stone decorated and carved by skilled local stonecutters. The building, formed by four floors, a cellar and 238 rooms, hosts the presidency and a part of the administrative offices of AQP.
Sources: By the editorial staff Updated on: 16/10/2008
Project created in collaboration with InnovaPuglia.
Regione Puglia
Regione Puglia