The original building, dating back to the early 1950s, consisted of a core of load-bearing masonry rooms covered by Salento star and barrel vaults, to which heterogeneous building volumes were added over time. The intervention embraces this lack of uniformity as its starting point, preserving the historical portion of greater architectural value while demolishing the remaining additions to make way for a new volume.
The design strategy, therefore, focuses on preserving the memory of the house without compromising on contemporary living standards, particularly in terms of environmental sustainability and the integration of technical and mechanical systems required for energy efficiency. The relationship between the pre-existing structure and the extension is not based on mimicry, but on a precise balance between permanence and innovation: the original structures retain their distinct identity, while the new components adopt an essential and measured architectural language.

The small inner courtyard (chiostrina) becomes the barycenter of the intervention: a void of light that subtracts volume in order to connect, acting as both a spatial and structural hinge between the two portions. Its positioning illuminates the entrance and the corridor of the sleeping area, transforming a residual circulation space into a luminous, liveable sequence. The openings overlooking this courtyard expand visual perspectives and foster natural daylighting and ventilation; in this way, rather than acting as a separate environment, it functions as a spatial and bioclimatic device. The chiostrina introduces a pause within the built mass, offering a protected open space while establishing a continuous relationship between the interior, the vegetation, and the sky.
The primary achievement of the project lies in the enhancement of the interior spaces. The living, dining, and kitchen areas occupy the historical heart of the home, conceived as interconnected spaces thanks to a succession of arches that establishes spatial continuity and offers deep perspective views. Consequently, the original structure becomes the protagonist of this new domesticity, further enhanced by the star vaults, which have been restored to an essential condition through clean, continuous light surfaces.
Custom-made integrated joinery merges with the architecture and guides user circulation. The interior design balances materiality, light, and color: the neutral base of the surfaces accommodates natural timber, the sage green of the furnishings and vegetation, and the terracotta accents of lamps and textiles. Service spaces and bathrooms are treated with equal care, featuring tactile surfaces, soft geometries, and natural color palettes.

This pursuit of comfort and spatial quality extends into the sleeping quarters, where private rooms are organized around daylight and privacy. The distribution corridor also leads to utility spaces, including the garage and laundry room. On the first floor, a multipurpose room allows the terrace to be experienced as an additional outdoor domestic space, reinforcing the indoor-outdoor relationship.
The architectural transformation is paired with an energy retrofit developed under the Superbonus framework. The new building envelope, external thermal insulation (cappotto), high-performance fixtures, and solar shading systems minimize heat loss, optimize solar radiation control, and mitigate summer overheating. The photovoltaic system equipped with battery storage increases the home's energy self-sufficiency and reduces reliance on non-renewable sources. Together, these interventions achieved the highest energy rating (A4 energy class), significantly upgrading overall indoor comfort and building performance.
On the exterior, the house maintains an essential, compact massing in continuity with the surrounding urban fabric. The white surfaces, the boundary wall, the metal pergola, and the vegetation regulate the relationship between the dwelling and the street, sheltering the private dimension without completely closing it off from the city.
Every design intervention contributes to defining a welcoming, efficient house rooted in its context: discrete toward the city, yet articulated and surprising within its most intimate dimension.