House in Monte
Refurbishment of a 350 year-old house in a hill town in the Val di Muggia.
In collaboration with Guido Desigis.
This project for the restoration and renovation of a house at the centre of the village of Monte, in the Val di Muggio, is an exercise in re-use. The existing property, which is approximately 350 years old, had previously been used as multiple occupancy dwelling.
Work to the house has required the rebuilding of certain elements, including roof and floors, the re-rendering the external and internal walls as well as the replacing of windows and doors. The position of the principal masonry walls has been retained, although the loggia structure needed to be rebuilt.
The existing walls are expressed internally in render, while new elements, stairs, walls, ceilings and floors are consistently finished in tongue-and-grove boarding.
The main room of the house is located on the first floor. The existing ceiling was removed and what was formally divided into two smaller rooms by a partition is now a hall-like space with a high-level window and direct access to a loggia with views to the distant landscape. The kitchen and dining room/study is positioned on the ground floor, bedrooms are arranged on the upper floor and a guest room occupies the lower ground floor.
In all cases the work undertaken on the house attempts to respect the inherent qualities of the existing building, its character “as found”. Alterations and additions are made evident through the way they are detailed, but are designed to preserve the building’s feeling and atmosphere.
