AC House
Unexpected geometries
The project involves the extension of an existing house in Martinengo, Bergamo, Italy.
The original building uses traditional models in its volumetric composition, language and use of materials. The extension project foresees a building organised with a basement and a raised floor. In the basement a large excavated void allows for the construction of a space for exclusive use; a small lowered courtyard onto which the large sliding glass windows open. A public outdoor space, a meeting place for friends and family. The upper floor hosts the living room and the open kitchen. The extension is engaged on the existing one in which the most private part (sleeping area) is located.
The corner entrance opens onto the landing of the staircase; going up you reach the living area, going down you enter the basement room.
The project pursues the search for a solid building, one that will last over time. For this reason, the insulation envelope is positioned inside the perimeter walls. The concrete structure crystallises the shape and composition of the two façades. A cladding system of pressed concrete strips designs the façades, which are completed by a system of metal casings. The large windows are concentrated in the corner. Three windows (two on the walls and one in the form of a skylight) all have a different nature: fixed with a low sill, sliding with a projecting concrete frame, and roof windows with a sloping skylight that outlines the building. On the roof, a walkable terrace is bordered by a back railing with sinuous lines. The cancellation of the corner makes it a discreet presence.
The building is a concrete casket with large windows in which batten cladding dresses the walls.
Light from different positions invades the interior indistinctly. Even the semi-terred room, protected by an overhang supported by an oversized pillar, is invaded by light.
A small intervention that redesigns the place and introduces, in this provincial territory, different ways of building houses; a pioneering project that stimulates comparison.
