From balconies... conversations drift

Across the small piazza at the back of the house in Polizzi Generosa, one of my neighbours often stands against her first floor balcony rail and chats to a passerby. The voices travel across piazza Sant ‘Orsola and the narrow street, Via Notar Nicchi and then grow faint as people move on. I sometimes hear the voices from inside my house...it's nice.

Balconies help people feel worlds are connected

Balconies are wonderful places where people ‘feel the building and the larger public world are intertwined’… ‘people can be still within the building, but in touch with the people and the scene outside’. 

By stepping onto a balcony people can enjoy a view of a street or piazza, catch a sacred procession, chat to a neighbour across the way or someone walking by, view the sky, sea or mountains, water a balcony garden of potted flowers and herbs, hang a birdcage, put out washing from lines strung out from railings or just watch what's going on.

They also 'help create a space which people who are outside the building can use to help them feel more intimately conected with the building"... to pass by and look up and someone is on their balcony gardening, hanging washing, chatting or simply looking out...it is lovely to be a part of it, even for a short moment.

Balconies adorn Sicilian buildings and stepping onto them or looking up to them is pretty wonderful....even though, at times, it can feel that I have just stepped onto a stage.

A few Sicilian balconies...

Polizzzi Generosa, looking from the back of the house to a balcony overlooking Piazza Sant'Orsola

Polizzi Generosa, Via Roma, watching a festival go by

Taormina, Casa Cuseni looking to the Ionian Sea and slopes of Etna

Palermo, Palazzo Dato

Near Bompietro

Polizzi Generosa on the evening of one Good Friday, doors open...waiting for the procession

Cefalu

Polizzi Generosa

Ortigia, Siracusa

Polizzi Generosa sacred procession of the Holy Crucifix

Modica gorgeous balcony garden

Polizzi Generosa, from the main balcony of the house -San Gandolfo festival

Palermo

Caltagirone

Polizzi Generosa a bit of patriotism

Polizzi Generosa from the main balcony of the house, Via Garibaldi

Piedimonte Etneo

Polizzi Generosa, sacred procession

Petralia Soprana balcony gardens 

Palermo, Piazza Bologni, Palazzo Alliata Villa Franca.

Saluti

Suzanne

Quotes from: A Pattern Language- Christopher Alexander, Oxford University Press, 1977.