The house is located in Alto Malcantone, west of Lugano.
The radial arrangement of the buildings in the historic core is strongly related to the morphology of the place, similar to a dejection cone. The orientation of the volume on the parcel follows the existing rules in the place where the exceptional conformation of the territory reconnects with the linear character of the eastern side of the mountain.
By inserting the building perpendicular to the contour lines, it was possible to break free from the arbitrary layout of "legal" borders.
The desire to relate to the land, exploiting and preserving its natural conformation, inspired a decision of putting the new building on three points. The solution helped to create a sequence of spaces under the main volume, consisting of kitchen, porch, and rock cellars.
Arriving at the house from the street, there is the impression that the house is made up of one floor.
The intention to change the view from uncrowded paths influenced the decision to reduce the perceived size of the building.
In reality, the house is organized on two levels. The first containing bedrooms, living room, and services is placed at the level of access. It develops towards the valley, establishing a strong relationship with the landscape.
On the floor below there is the dining area, connected to the old peasant terraces, Mount Ferraro to the North and the valley to the South.
The rooms are oriented to the South, where, thanks to the morphology of the place and the position of neighboring buildings, the view will remain unchanged. The long furniture acts as a separation between the sleeping area and the circulation. The choice to locate the circulation space exposed to the North is dictated by the potential constructions on the adjacent parcels, in front of which several tall fruit trees are planned.
The building consists of a load-bearing structure in reinforced concrete carrying the volume in timber. The first consists of two beams that rest on the flat part of the land and jut out into the valley. They are supported by a central pillar placed at the head of the building and anchored to the lower terrace. The secondary structure is instead, as mentioned, in timber. It develops inside the beams and defines the volume of the house. In addition to the structural function, the pillar allows to enhance its relationship with old terraces and to deny the link with the street below.
The external appearance of the house is characterized by horizontal bands showing the structural part in concrete and the overlying part in wood, covered with rough chestnut boards found on site. These have been trimmed following the "tree shape", concerning the various characteristics, such as knots and cracks, this way limiting the waste, allowing to make the most of the characteristics of the local wood.
The choice was made both considering durability of the material to atmospheric agents and its ecologically and economically sustainable performance.
The external areas, such as parking, porch, and flat roof, were made with crushed excavated material, an iron-rich red gneiss that characterizes the natural rocks of the region, proposing a chromatic result similar to one of the buildings in the historic center.
Material Used :
1. Facade cladding: Local chestnut
2. Flooring: concrete / crushed excavated material
3. Doors: Spruce / falegnameria Lorenzo bernasconi
4. Windows: Spruce / falegnameria Lorenzo bernasconi
5. Roofing: crushed excavated material
6. Interior furniture: Spruce/ Federico Rella
7. Constructor: Pedrazzini costruzioni
8. Carpentry works: Bissig Holzbau
