Architecture Wednesday: Casa VI

I like this one because it’s rustic and aged on the outside and sleek and modern inside .... kinda like me, I’m thinking.

This house, once a ruin, sits at about 3200 feet above sea level in the Italian Alps. The owners requested that the existing ruined home be transformed into a livable space with solar radiation and lighting in the living area and expansive views across the valley.

After studying the pattern of the sunlight for nearly a year, as well as studying the technologies and values of mountain architecture, the home was reinterpreted as a modern piece of mountain architecture.

The roof slants towards the south, meaning there is sunlight in the home year-round; the new home now consists of a ground floor entrance, living room, kitchen and bathroom, with the south zone as a double height; there are two bedrooms upstairs as well as an office loft space.

The new walls are crafted of local stone, so as to fit with the original structure, but inside there are concrete walls and iron accents. And, in a nod local craftsmanship, there is a homemade fireplace, table, chairs, stairs, bidet, sink and wood-clad toilet and bidet.

My one issue ... after a day of sipping great Italian reds, how do I manage the white iron stairs without a railing?

Oh, that’s where Carlos comes in ...

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