In the scenic Puglia region of southern Italy, the ancient coastal towers stand as remnants of a fortification system. Torre Rinalda, a prominent 16th-century limestone tower near Lecce, exemplifies this defense mechanism. Participants were tasked, in collaboration with the Municipality of Lecce, to re-imagine Torre Rinalda — breathing new life into it as a revitalized landmark with a renewed sense of place, while also transforming its dormant spaces into vibrant public areas for communal engagement and observation.

Rinalda’s former military tower is re-imagined as the ‘Protector of the Sea’ to address the threats of rising sea levels, pollution, and over-fishing. Our vision was not only to rejuvenates the tower as a tourist attraction for Lecce but positions it as a symbol of oceanic conservation. This beacon of awareness therefore serves as an educational and communal hub.

The ground floor hosts an immersive art installation reflecting recent oceanic research. The top floor, with a polycarbonate roof made from recycled ocean plastic, extends the interior and doubles as a community space for lectures, art shows, or film nights against the tower’s medieval walls.

Corten steel ramps offer a scenic walk to the tower with expansive Adriatic views. This revitalized tower not only boosts Lecce’s tourism but stands as a sentinel for ocean conservation. We envision a future network of such beacon towers championing sea protection.