The kingfischer’s nest – visitor center
Giacomo Albo

The kingfischer’s nest – visitor center

Architetto Marco Ghilotti as Architects

The existing building is located on the island of Pescaia, along the valley floor of the Adda river between the towns of Traona and Cosio Valtellino in the Province of Sondrio. The project involves the transformation and expansion of the rural building originally used as a stable and barn into an educational classroom along the Valtellina path: a cycle-pedestrian itinerary that winds along the entire valley. The intervention aims to safeguard the simple architecture of the building by inserting a new wooden shell inside the volume, defined by the stone walls.

photo_credit Giacomo Albo
Giacomo Albo

On the ground floor, the larger dimensions required for the teaching room determine the extension. This is solved with a simple volume in blackened wood in material and chromatic counterpoint with the stones of the barn.

photo_credit Giacomo Albo
Giacomo Albo

A large glazed opening, similar in size to the internal hall, offers an unprecedented look at the dense forest surrounding the building. The relationship between the planned volume and the nearby cycle-pedestrian path is instead resolved by arranging a simple public space in white concrete, delimited by two seats in solid wood. Inside this rediscovered meeting place, in the shade of an existing hazelnut tree, some cylindrical seats in solid wood offer a play area for the little ones.

photo_credit Giacomo Albo
Giacomo Albo

The pre-existing stone building has been restored. The original stone wall has been cleaned and consolidated.

photo_credit Giacomo Albo
Giacomo Albo

The small extension was made of pre-fabricated wood panels, was insulated and clad with burnt larch wood planks. The black color of the wood wants to enhance the stone texture and the colors of nature in the different seasons.

Caption
Caption
Caption

Team:
Luca Schenatti– Claudio Borromini - Christian Bassola

Material Used:
1. Facade cladding: Stone - burnt larch wood (shou sugi ban)
2. Flooring: Concrete
3. Doors: Wood – glass - aluminum - mod. SLIM, Uniform
4. Windows: Wood – glass - aluminum - mod., SLIM , Uniform
5. Roofing: Corrugated sheet metal
6. Interior lighting: Recessed led lamp mod. “Tappo”, EgoLuce
Recessed led lamp mod. “Tappo maxi led”, EgoLuce
Recessed led lamp mod. “Linea”, EgoLuce
7. Interior furniture: chair mod. Juno, Arper
Stool mod. J.M.B., Fioroni design
8. Internal walls: Chestnut wood

Project Credits
Product Spec Sheet

ElementBrand
Interior lighting: Recessed led lampEGOLUCE
Interior furniture: StoolFioroni design
Doors & Windows: Wood – glass - aluminumUniform
Interior furniture: ChairArper SPA
Product Spec Sheet
Interior lighting: Recessed led lamp
Tappo, Tappo maxi led, Linea by EGOLUCE
Interior furniture: Stool
J.M.B. by Fioroni design
Doors & Windows: Wood – glass - aluminum
SLIM by Uniform
Interior furniture: Chair
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