The Mathematical Table of the Palazzina Cinese in Palermo. Animation and Virtual Reality Techniques for an Edutainment Project

The Palazzina Cinese of Palermo was built on a project by Venanzio Marvuglia in 1799 on behalf of Ferdinand IV of Borbone, when the royal family, fleeing from Naples following the establishment of the Parthenopean Republic, moved to Sicily. The building, known as “Chinese” due to its style, is full of particular architectural and decorative solutions. An element of particular interest is theMathematical Table, designed to avoid any contact between the living room and the kitchen below, isolating it from smells and servants. Thanks to a complex system of winches and pulleys, in fact, the dishes could be served by letting the central portion of the table and small circular areas fall into the…