Villa Blanc: A Roman Villa's Renaissance as a University

Villa Blanc, a historic eclectic-style villa in Rome built in the late 1800s for Baron Alberto Blanc, has been restored and repurposed as the headquarters of Luiss Business School. The property, acquired by Luiss Guido Carli University in 1997 and transformed into the business school's base since 2016, includes a 39,000 m² park and six minor buildings. The restoration, led by architects Giovanni Carbonara (recently deceased) and Massimo Picciotto, is documented in the book "Villa Blanc. Rinascita di un monumento tra eclettismo e modernità." Despite initial neighborhood protests over privatization, the villa now offers public access to its park, children's play area, and guided tours of its restored halls, including the Hall of Mirrors, ballroom, and Winter Garden. Luiss Business School President Luigi Abete emphasized that the private intervention preserved and enhanced the cultural heritage for the community.