CONTEMPORARY VOLUMES OVERLOOKING THE LAKE
The project consists of the renovation of an existing building in a state of abandonment, redesigning its elevations and its internal spaces. The building is located in a mixed context characterized by 1970s villas in the province of Varese.
4 apartments are created, 2 on the lower floor and 2 identical on the upper floor. These are three-room apartments consisting of two bedrooms, two bathrooms, living room, dining room and kitchen.
The bathrooms and bedrooms mainly face north, while the living areas (kitchen, living room, dining room) face south, from which, thanks to a large portico that extends along the entire southern front, a great view of the Lake Varese can be enjoyed.
The portico also performs an important function of shading from the sun, the overhang of which is calculated to avoid overheating in the summer.
An extension towards North-West generates a large terrace from which to enjoy the view of the lake.
On the North-East side demolitions are carried out and a strip of land in contact with the perimeter wall is excavated, in order to make all the rooms on the lower floor usable and habitable.
On the North-East side, niches are created in the volume for independent access to the individual homes, thus protected from the elements. On the same front, a technical room and a small common area used as a bicycle shed are located completely underground.
The trees in the garden are maintained despite the volumetric expansion, as are the existing fence and accesses.
The pitched roof is replaced by an accessible flat roof, configured as a green roof finished in Sedum, in order to improve the absorption of rainwater.
The greenery on the roof also allows to maintain lower temperatures especially in the summer period, which is also useful for photovoltaic panels, which are sensitive to particularly high temperatures.
Finally, the project involves the use of bioclimatic strategies to reduce energy consumption and therefore the production of greenhouse gases, integrating also devices for the on-site dispersion and reuse of rainwater.
Natural materials are also used such as wood for the newly built parts and wood fiber for the insulation applied to the existing perimeter walls.
Year: 2022
Structure: Traditional
Client: Private
State: Under construction
Location: Varese