Restoration of the Facade of the Gran Madre di Dio

A team of professionals will work to restore the monument to its original beauty over approximately 12 months, using innovative materials such as nano-lime.

The Milan-based company ONE srl, a long-standing player in the field of sponsored restorations and outdoor advertising, is sponsoring the restoration of the main facade of the Gran Madre di Dio Church in Turin. The aim of the intervention is to restore the building to its original splendor, with full respect for its historical and material integrity. The work will be carried out using techniques carefully selected according to criteria of compatibility, reversibility, and protection of original materials. The restoration, which will allow the church to remain fully operational, will be at zero cost to the City of Turin and fully funded by ONE srl, which will benefit from advertising rights.

The restoration is expected to take 12 months and will involve 1,072 square meters of stone surfaces including sculptural groups, 183 square meters of plaster, and 318 square meters of stucco. Additional interventions are planned for the stone paving near the entrance, the wooden vestibule, gutters, downspouts, and the roof of the portico.

The sponsor will rely on the same technical team that carried out the restoration of Palazzo Marino, Milan’s City Hall, enhanced with local Turin expertise. Strategic coordination and communications are overseen by Jesurum Leoni Comunicazione. Restoration work will be led by Architect Paolo Pecorelli and ESTIA srl. The design is by DONTSTOP Architettura srl, part of Progetto CMR International, with CEO Architect Michele Brunello also coordinating the creative work by Turin-based Studio Fludd and Daniele Catalli, who will illustrate the site hoarding to tell the story of the monument, its architecture, and the neighborhood. Project Management and Site Safety will be handled by Turin-based restoration expert Architect Manuela Ghirardi.

“Restoring monuments is one of the most virtuous examples of public-private collaboration and is an increasingly common model in Italy for the management and promotion of cultural heritage,”
comments Deputy Mayor Michela Favaro.
“This kind of synergy between municipalities, sponsors, and restoration companies is of great importance to the community, as these projects help safeguard historical and artistic heritage, reinforcing our identity while enhancing the decorum and livability of our cities.”

“We are proud to restore such a prestigious and iconic monument for the City of Turin,”
says Emanuele Anselmi, CEO of ONE Srl.
“Next year will see us involved in several restoration projects in major Italian squares, in line with our mission to support the preservation of our cities.”

The work will focus on conserving and recovering the architectural and decorative features of the facade, with great care for the building’s historical and structural characteristics.

Columns, capitals, cornices, friezes, and stone sculptures will undergo a detailed restoration to re-establish material cohesion and remove deposits and encrustations, all while preserving their original appearance. Areas requiring major intervention will be reconstructed using compatible mortars or hand-carved stone inserts, followed by color retouching to harmonize with the existing materials.

Stucco and plaster surfaces — including decorative cornices, vaulted ceilings, and coffered portico ceilings — will be restored through targeted work aimed at protecting and visually recovering the decorative unity. After gentle cleaning and consolidation of fragile parts, localized reintegration will be carried out, followed by the application of a transparent, breathable protective coating.

Wooden elements, such as the main door and internal vestibule, will also be restored. The treatment includes removal of deteriorated finishes, restoration of structural integrity, and integration with compatible materials, followed by the application of natural or exterior-appropriate protective finishes.

Finally, the marble sculptural groups at the base of the entrance staircase will undergo specialist treatment using nano-lime, an innovative mineral-based product developed by the University of L’Aquila. Nano-lime penetrates deeply into the marble’s micro-voids, consolidating the material in a durable and breathable manner. The restoration protocol follows the latest conservation research to return one of Turin’s most symbolic and beloved monuments to the city and its people.