A great study of the morphological and climatic conformation of the Sicilian territory blends with the aesthetic harmony and comfort of a vacation home: this is the Casa Infinita in Noto, designed by Studio Gordon Guillaumier. On the floor is Nuvolato Architop® Ideal Work® concrete cladding.
It is a vacation home for a French couple, who were looking for an escape in the quiet and warmth of Sicily: a dream made reality by Guillaumier, who created an architecture with a contemporary aesthetic and a relaxed mood, a special place to escape from everyday life. The result is the Casa Infinita, a contemporary villa but deeply rooted in the place where it stands.
Starting from the morphology of the semi-arid landscape of Noto, with vineyards, olive trees and blue sea in the background, and that of the site on which the house was to be built, an imposing hill, the Architect created terraces, to better integrate the house within the landscape without unpleasant disproportions.
The building's openings are a feature of Guillaumier's work, and find inspiration in mid-century American architecture. In addition to having an important aesthetic impact, this solution was a functional choice: in Sicily, temperatures can reach 44 degrees, which means that areas that cast shade are essential, and it is necessary to create them with an eye to sustainability; from this thought came a pleasant oasis effect, created using awnings, architectural devices and vegetation.
From the materials to the techniques used in its construction, to its arrangement in space, every aspect is designed to protect the occupant of this house from the rays of the scorching Mediterranean sun while enjoying the spacious outdoor areas of the pool villa.In fact, the firm designed shaded terraces with cool, penumbral interiors, proposing a modern vernacular style that adapts centuries-old knowledge of living well in such a climate while adding something new.
Although usually the hallmarks of Guillaumier's designs point to simplification, here, the Architect wanted to give it an unusual twist, designing a guest dressing room by the pool, which appears like a gift box in striped bands of blue and white majolica tiles, a singular construction that harkens back to the typical Sicilian style while creating a very interesting focal point.
Light also plays a central role: glimpses, glazing create pleasant effects of light and shadow and make interior and exterior communicate perfectly; to create even more continuity between these two environments, Nuvolato Architop® Ideal Work® has been chosen for exterior and interior flooring, the cementitious solution that in just a few millimeters (3-4 mm) allows to overcome the thickness and weight limits of traditional concrete (helicoptered) of which it maintains the beauty and strength, but in a context of attention to detail and high aesthetic and chromatic value. Usable both indoors and outdoors, it is particularly suitable for those seeking continuity between environments, aesthetic beauty and at the same time a durable solution that is resistant to chemical and atmospheric agents, abrasion, cracking and frost.
Crossing the threshold, inside, one witnesses a sober palette of browns and grays, enlivened by touches of pink, the antithesis to the typical aesthetic of vacation homes, in which the predominant color is white. In the Architect's mind, the house is indeed earthy, and those earthy colors it must have, because it is born and rises from the earth and then merges with the sky; in this context, these soft tones blend better into the landscape, absorbing the light and matching perfectly with the blue colors of the sky and the sea, giving a sense of absolute peace.
Team:
Architects: Gordon Guillaumier
Photographer: Andrea Ferrari
Materials Used:
Nuvolato Architop: Concrete Flooring
Roda Network: Corner Sectional Garden Sofa
Acapulco Design: Acapulco Chair Classic
Tacchini: Reversivel Upholstered Fabric Easy Chair With Armrests
Flos: Parentesi Powder Coated Steel Pendant Lamp
Tacchini: Cage Low Round Marble Coffee Table
Gallotti&radice: Bolle Orizzontale Led Dimmable Glass Pendant Lamp
Roda: Harp 349 Sled Base Garden Chair
Roda: Plein Air 006 Rectangular Porcelain Stoneware Garden Table
Roda: Plein Air 006 Rectangular Porcelain Stoneware Garden Table
Roda: Lawrence Garden Fabric Easy Chair
Roda: Teka Low Teak Garden Side Table
Roda: Arena Fabric Garden Bed
Foscarini: Buds 2 Blown Glass Table Lamp
