The Sugar Refinery Palace in Rijeka and Models of Business-Residential Architecture of the 18th Century in the Northern Adriatic

Abstract

The author examines the spatial features of the administrative building of the sugar refinery in Rijeka, also known as the Palace of the Privileged Company of Trieste and Fiume. The analysis focuses on two significant phases in its history: the initial construction in 1752 and the subsequent renovation following the fire in 1785/86. By identifying spaces designated for living, business operations, and storage, the author provides a new interpretation of the original intended functions of the building’s floors and rooms. The palace’s architectural design is associated with a group of business-residential structures built in Trieste during the latter half of the 18th century. These structures share remarkably similar spatial characteristics, which are evident from archival drawings since most of the palaces have not survived. The comparisons further imply the existence of a standardized spatial design for mixed-use business and residential buildings, whether these were erected by affluent merchants for their own dual-purpose use or by large, privileged private companies that had their headquarters in Trieste during the 18th century.