This private house project became an important point of growth for the studio and the first experience in which architecture and interior were conceived as a single system, governed by a shared logic of space, light and proportion. Developed as a reconstruction, the project required a particularly precise and thoughtful approach: the building was not created from scratch, but carefully reinterpreted to reveal its latent potential.
For nearly ten years, the house had been repeatedly sold, altered and expanded with new volumes. As a result, it had become a fragmented structure with heterogeneous solutions, unfinished façades and a lost internal coherence. The task of the project was not only to restore visual integrity, but to reanimate the house architecturally — to return order, clarity and spatial meaning.

The design methodology follows a principle closely aligned with the ideas of Le Corbusier, for whom architecture emerged from interior space. The formation of volumes began from within — through movement scenarios, functional relationships and the treatment of light — and only then found expression in the external form. This approach made it possible to achieve a rare level of unity for a private house, where interior and architecture exist as interdependent parts of a single organism.
Light became the key tool in shaping the space. During the day, sunlight penetrates the house almost entirely, creating a layered system of reflections and transitions. In the evening, warm, soft artificial lighting fills the interiors and flows outward through large-format windows, turning the building into a glowing volume. The interplay of light and shadow follows a strict proportional system, developed intuitively yet with near-mathematical precision.

One of the most significant architectural gestures was the removal of a lift that previously connected only part of the building. Once dismantled, the space opened vertically, allowing natural light to flow freely from the third floor downward. This resulted in a light well — a vertical axis that unites all levels of the house and introduces a new spatial dimension. The gesture recalls sacred architecture and the modernist tradition, where light is understood as the primary source of form.

The project’s architecture unfolds as a dialogue with 1960s modernism, including the Latin American tradition, where volumes are composed as blocks and space is governed by internal logic. The exterior and interior were developed in parallel, ensuring coherence: architectural decisions continue inside, while interior strategies actively shape the façade.

The functional structure of the house is organized vertically and follows a clear internal order. The basement level accommodates a spa area with a swimming pool and sauna. Conceived as a grotto with dark surfaces, stone and turquoise water, the space enhances a sense of privacy and physical presence. Limited natural light is compensated by its concentration and reflection on the water surface.
The ground floor includes the entrance hall, a living room with double-height space and fireplace, a kitchen and dining area, a study that can also function as a guest bedroom, and a dedicated room for children’s activities. Here, the idea of an open, flowing space becomes especially evident, as functions transition seamlessly into one another.
The second floor contains the bedrooms, each with its own bathroom and dressing room. An intermediate mezzanine level — a rare feature in contemporary private houses — has been preserved, referencing Palladian architecture and historic Italian villas. This level adds depth and complexity to the spatial organization.
The third floor combines several functions, including a study, mini-kitchen, bar, fitness area and access to terraces. At this level, the role of vertical light becomes especially clear, visually and spatially connecting all parts of the house.

All levels are united by a staircase that forms the internal architecture of the house. It defines the rhythm of movement and spatial proportions, becoming not merely a circulation element but the project’s structural and conceptual axis. Its geometry served as the basis for shaping volumes and perceiving space as a whole.
A system of visual rhymes is woven throughout the house. Intersecting lines on the façades are echoed in the interiors, the fireplace portal resonates with the front façade, and chimney forms are reflected in furniture and wall elements. These connections are subtle rather than explicit, but they are perceived intuitively, creating a sense of inner coherence.
The interior remains restrained and minimal, yet deeply human-oriented. White walls serve as a neutral backdrop for life, while proportions, light and materials relate closely to the scale of the human body. A house that once existed in a state of incompletion and fragmentation has regained integrity and vitality — light is once again switched on.

Team:

Architects: Buro5
Photographers: Daniel Annenkov

Materials Used:
Ground Floor

Living Room
— Roller chaise lounge, seating area, Desalto
— Hexagon coffee table, living room, Desalto
— Sampei floor lamps, living room, Davide Groppi
— Infinito linear luminaires, living room, Davide Groppi
— Campiture rug, living room, Amini
— Mayfair table lamp, on suspended cabinet, Vibia
— Sofa, custom-made, living room

Dining Area
— Dining table, custom-made, dining area
— 36°–139° Nikko chairs, dining area, Archipélago
— Lamina chandelier, dining area, Santa & Cole

Kitchen
— Kitchen furniture, custom-made, kitchen, Uclad
— Joinery elements, custom-made, Uclad
— 36°–139° Nikko chairs, kitchen, Archipélago

Staircase
— Pendulo suspended clock, stairwell, Nomon

Second Floor

Master Bedroom
— Bed, custom-made, bedroom
— Console, custom-made, bedroom
— Strong Special lounge chair, bedroom, Desalto
— Sorrento side table, bedroom, Giobagnara
— Sampei floor lamp, bedroom, Davide Groppi
— Rug, bedroom, Amini
— Pendant light, bed area, Flos

Bathrooms
— Argo mirror, bathroom, Cielo
— DOT316 mixers, bathroom, Ritmonio

Third Floor

Study
— Desk, custom-made, study
— Storage system, custom-made, study
— Tizio table lamp, study, Artemide
— Recessed luminaires, ceiling, Aledo
— One of a Kind rug, study, Amini

Basement Level

Spa Area
— Clip chaise lounge, relaxation area, Desalto
— Hashi floor lamp, spa area, Davide Groppi