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A modern villa on stilts
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Located a stone’s throw from the beach and overlooking the sea, this house suspended over the water was conceived with a focus on outdoor living. An essential design for spaces that can be used with total freedom, seamlessly uniting the interior and exterior.
On the island of Albarella, in the northern Adriatic, architect Genny Augusti of the Leonardo architecture firm has designed a place characterised by water and lightness. It is a house suspended above a large swimming pool: “the villa rises from the water to gaze into the infinite horizon of the sea, exactly facing east,” explains Augusti.
The almost 300 sq m residence is located above a dated semi-detached house that is suffocated by vegetation and, above all, built without any emphasis on its proximity to the sea. “Hence the idea of creating a terrace roof that would allow the owners to enjoy the splendid panorama. The client wanted a minimalist design and spaces that could be used with total freedom.
Our inspiration is the ultimate master, Mies Van Der Rohe, who, with his modernist concept, enhanced traditional materials with pure, minimalist design. I emphasised the link with the landscape and the local area, creating a house that can be lived in both inside and outside in equal measure. Hence the importance of the outdoor areas, intended as spaces dedicated to everyday life, in complete freedom and in close contact with nature. And the large glass walls underscore these characteristics.”
To highlight and facilitate this continuity between spaces, Memento porcelain stoneware was chosen in the Silver colour, with a cement grey effect and the large size (75x150 cm), leaving a minimal, almost non-existent joint. “A colour that allows total freedom of choice when it comes to furnishings and that pairs well with natural wood, used as decking around the pool and on the steps of the central stairs.”
The Memento20 50x100 cm extra-thick concrete-effect porcelain stoneware collection was again chosen chosen to cover the terrace, laid on a raised floor.
The swimming pool intersects the house and is accessed by a walkway above the water. The interior spaces are primarily on the ground floor, with large glass walls and a 50 sq m portico. Solutions that are linear, but not cold were chosen for the furnishings and finishes, enhancing the link with nature. Some parts of the bathrooms were covered with Mystone Ceppo di Gré large size (75x150 cm) slabs, “which contribute to making the bathroom more intimate and softer. In general, the extensive use of porcelain stoneware is due to its practicality and ease of use, as well as its uniform colours and virtually unaltered durability over time.” Qualities that are certainly advantageous when it comes to houses exposed to the marine climate.
Credit foto: Matilde Franzolin
