Palazzo Guazzoni Zaccaria, located along Corso Pietro Vacchelli in Cremona, is a late 15th-century building formed through the consolidation of pre-existing medieval structures and later transformed into a noble residence during the Sforza period. Its architectural configuration reflects the defining features of the Lombard Renaissance, visible in the use of decorative brickwork, figured stringcourse cornices, and a typological layout organized around a quadrangular courtyard with a portico supported by stone columns with carved capitals.
The building retains a complex spatial organization typical of urban Renaissance residences, where representative functions and service areas are arranged around the loggia as the central ordering element. Over the centuries, the palace underwent alterations, functional adaptations, and stylistic updates, culminating in significant restoration and historicist reinterpretation works in the early decades of the 20th century. These interventions partially redefined its image, integrating ancient elements with new decorative features inspired by Lombard tradition.
The building’s current appearance is therefore the result of a layered historical process that intertwines its Renaissance structure with later transformations and 20th-century additions, resulting in an architectural complex of considerable historical, typological, and cultural value within Cremona’s urban context.

The project concerns the recovery of a secondary attic portion of Palazzo Guazzoni Zaccaria, converted into an extension of the existing guest quarters through the creation of three new en-suite bedrooms. The space, lacking direct connections with the principal rooms and characterized by strong constructive simplicity, was in a raw state, with exposed stone masonry and a well-preserved timber roof structure. These conditions guided the project toward a minimal, material-driven language consistent with the character of the place.
The compositional approach is based on a dialogue between the historic fabric and new insertions, avoiding any form of historical mimicry and favoring contemporary yet neutral materials capable of enhancing the original structures. The existing masonry is consolidated and visually unified with mineral plaster finishes in warm, natural tones, while the new partitions are defined by smooth, continuous surfaces conceived as lightweight internal backdrops within the historic volume.
Particular attention has been given to the material quality of horizontal surfaces: the new natural-toned microcement floors create a seamless, joint-free plane that unifies the spaces and interacts with the irregular texture of the historic masonry and timber structure. In the bathrooms, large-format porcelain stoneware slabs are used in the shower areas and on service walls, introducing a more compact and contemporary element while maintaining a neutral, desaturated color palette.
The existing timber roof remains the defining feature of the interiors: beams and secondary structures are left exposed and enhanced through integrated indirect lighting, which emphasizes their structural rhythm and spatial depth. The new flush roof windows are designed for discreet insertion, ensuring natural daylight without altering the perception of the roof pitch from within.
Building systems are also treated as part of the architectural design: minimal lighting fixtures, matte metal finishes, and technically essential detailing contribute to an overall calm, measured, and contemporary atmosphere, where hospitality comfort integrates with the material authenticity of the historic attic.
The result is an intimate and welcoming space in which the simplicity of the new finishes enhances the expressive strength of the original structures, transforming a residual technical volume into a distinctive and characterful hospitality environment.