A 1960s penthouse engaging with both the sea and the hillside.

In the heart of the historic seaside district of Nervi, Genoa, a 1960s apartment has been given a new life through a renovation project that reinterprets its privileged position. Located on the top floor of a building dating from the same period, the penthouse opens onto two contrasting views: the horizon of the sea on one side, and the green hillside of Sant’Ilario on the other.

The design concept stems directly from this unique condition, working around a radical reorganisation of the interior layout. While the original plan placed the living area to the north and the bedrooms to the south, the functions have now been reversed: the living room, kitchen and social spaces face the sea and the light, while the bedrooms and study are positioned to the north, engaging with the hillside.

The entrance has been conceived as a welcoming threshold. Lowered and equipped with a cloakroom area, it creates an intimate and contained transition towards the openness of the living area beyond: a generous, light-filled space designed to accommodate and welcome numerous guests. The living room and dining area unfold in sequence, while the kitchen overlooks the dining space through a sliding glass partition that can be opened or closed according to need, creating a flexible relationship between the different areas.

At the boundary between the two spaces, a structural column has deliberately been left exposed in raw concrete. Surrounded by parquet flooring, it becomes a defining element of the project and a visible reminder of the building’s construction history.

Towards the sleeping area, a generous passageway opens onto the connection with the terrace above. Here, the staircase becomes a central architectural feature. Composed of two distinct elements, one more tactile and solid in Brazilian green slate and the other lighter, made of coral-pink metal, it creates a strong and dynamic architectural gesture.

The sleeping area accommodates two bedrooms, a study and a second bathroom, establishing a more intimate and sheltered atmosphere in contrast with the bright openness of the living spaces.

Materials and finishes have been selected to enhance natural light and spatial continuity. Italian herringbone parquet flooring runs throughout the apartment, visually connecting the different spaces. The tactile quality of black and green slate contrasts with the exposed concrete of the structural column, creating an atmosphere that is contemporary yet deeply rooted in its context.

The interior thus becomes a composition of material textures and light, amplifying the surrounding landscape without overpowering it.

The result is an apartment that does more than simply renew its interiors: it repositions itself in balance with its surroundings. Suspended between sea and hillside, it embodies the dual character of Nervi, combining Mediterranean openness with the intimate atmosphere of the Ligurian landscape.

Se vuoi, posso anche prepararti una seconda versione più “internazionale” e raffinata, nello stile dei testi di studi di architettura contemporanei (più sintetica, meno descrittiva e più adatta a un portfolio come quello di Studio.D).