This restoration and interior project transformed an early 20th-century stone house — originally a boatman’s dwelling built above an old boathouse — into a contemporary retreat deeply rooted in its context. Located on a steep, secluded slope overlooking Lake Como, the house maintains its original volumetry and iconic arched water entrance, while revealing a new interior spatiality shaped by light, water, and craftsmanship.
The project balances preservation and transformation: the historic lime-washed exterior and intimate lakeside garden have been retained, while the interiors were completely reconfigured to accommodate a fluid, modern way of living. A double-height living space opens onto the lake, centered around a bespoke stone kitchen island and framed by linen curtains and a charred wood ceiling. A sculptural wooden core houses technical spaces, a guest suite, and a spiral staircase leading to a lower-level spa carved into the rock, where a Jacuzzi opens directly onto the water.
The site’s enchanting yet inaccessible position turned the construction into a formidable logistical challenge, requiring materials to be delivered via barge and helicopter concrete pours. The entire process became a shared commitment among craftsmen, engineers, and designers, transforming constraints into opportunities for precision, dialogue, and poetic intensity.
Como Lakehouse is ultimately a quiet, layered architecture — one that listens to the past, embraces the complexity of the present, and builds a tactile, meditative space where nature, memory, and design coexist.
