In the early 5th century, the final traces of the initial topography of the slope, with its small intermittent valleys, were eliminated by earthworks designed to make way for a vast platform that was required for a new, more ambitious architectural design. The Early Empire layout with multiple courtyards gave way to a structure organised around a single courtyard with peristyle, whose longest side measured at least 40m. The surface of this open area is four times that of the garden of the previous residence. The dimensions of the porticos and colonnades were altered to adapt to this larger space and to buildings whose facades were more imposing. These are clear signs of the monumentalisation of the estate's centre. By bringing activities and occupants together around one and the same courtyard, this new arrangement also speaks to a new way of inhabiting the villa.
The owner's living quarters are found at the western corner of the peristyle. They occupy the space used for residences in the villa's previous incarnations, and the planners were unable to free themselves from its architectural legacy. The surface area of these quarters was doubled (670 sq. m), which represents a break with past practices. The winemaking installations and equipment, which in the 4th century CE took the place of the Early Empire baths, were preserved and integrated into the new floorplan.
