Rubiana, Villa Varda
Rubiana, Villa Varda
bungalow
Alpine architecture
signpost
Itinerary
Rubiana and the Messa Valley became the quintessential summer holiday destinations for many upper-class families at the turn of the 20th century. These families, who lived not far from Turin, brought sophistication and illustrious guests to the area.
There was no genuine Kursaal as in Bardonecchia, but certainly, some hotels became places of social gatherings and sophistication, such as Villa Irma, now the venue La Pineta, which hosted Dino Campana in 1818.
The architecture of many villas and buildings in Rubiana and its hamlets still reflect the splendor of that period: the "chalet suisse" style is clearly visible in the architecture and in the lambrequins wooden decorations with tracery along the eaves of Villa Pino, Villa Stevens, Villa Querena (1916), and Villa Varda (now the municipal seat) with large windows and projecting bow-window verandas overlooking gardens or woods.
The exportation of urban models to tourist areas and the blending of architectural styles such as Neo-Gothic and Florentine style can be seen in examples such as Villa Cassaz (1930) and Villa Bruno in Borgata Bugnone. These styles, originating from urban and Turin areas, find remarkable examples in local professionals and patrons, starting with the restoration of the Castle of Villar Dora and the construction of buildings such as Villa Alchera (1931), Villa Belmondo (1934) in Rubiana, and Villa Restaino, now Villa Ada, in Almese. The railway connection to Avigliana increased the area's fame as a holiday destination, attracting Turin industrialists, among them the CEO of Michelin who commissioned Villa Giacometti on Via Roma (1906), decorated with phytoform reliefs, demonic heads, and abstract decorations in line with the international Art Nouveau style.
