Description
Il Foti-Arcodaci villa, was built in 1911 by the Baron of Messina Ignazio Foti Designed by engineer G. Ravidà, whose other works in the area are not revealed in archive documents. It stands at the intersection of Via Operai and Via Roma, in what is one of the city's key junctions, and is the only remaining structure of a series of villas built in those years along Via Roma. Some of these villas were never built, and others were brutally demolished over the years to make way for new buildings and new roads.
The main feature of this villa lies in the careful insertion, during construction, of a system of tie rods to ensure its boxing and static stability, and in the replacement of the reeds for the vaults and partitions with metal mesh; it was built immediately after the 1908 Messina earthquake, which caused the loss of many of the client's relatives, Baron Foti.
The villa has a slightly trapezoidal plan, with the main facades perfectly parallel to Via Roma and Via Operai, respectively. The exterior features a pronounced horizontal development, highlighted by a projecting cornice punctuated by wooden corbels and interrupted, in the central section, by two tall, protruding pillars with floral decorations that frame and emphasize the entrances. The entrances are further defined by wrought-iron canopies, originally inlaid with stained glass. The two main facades feature typical Art Nouveau decorative elements, such as the wavy line of the cornice, the floral decorations, the door and window frames, and the elegant base, beautifully crafted with horizontal grooves.
Internally, the rooms are arranged around a central hallway, from which a small wooden staircase leads to the attic. All the rooms, featuring vaulted ceilings, had tempera-painted ceilings. Due to lack of roof maintenance, these have largely collapsed, and were only removed and replaced during the recent restoration in 2007. The fence, as well as the wrought-iron gate, are attributed to a local craftsman known as "Giovanni u Palummu"which was active throughout the province in the early years of the century. Unfortunately, this valuable work was removed during the Fascist period. Much of the fence visible today is the result of restoration.
