Villa Renovation

Villa Renovation
Novazzano, Ticino, Svizzera


Project description

The building is a single-family villa in modernist style built in 1938 in a land that is located at the north-western edge of the historic core of Novazzano.
The villa is located in the center of the garden, accessed from the street below, along a cobbled avenue that leads to the entrance staircase located on the north corner of the building. Each floor of the building is equipped with large surfaces used as a terrace. The openings (doors and windows) are bounded by a Travertine perimeter. The building has a semi-underground floor and three floors above ground connected by a scenic staircase, the stone steps are fixed in the wall, the treads are in green Prato marble (serpentine) and the risers are in white Carrara marble. The staircase is bordered by a semicircular double height window. All the doors and windows of the house were original, made of wood with only a sheet of glass and no longer guaranteed insulation, air tightness and noise isolation.

The renovations have involved the replacement of the heating system, the removal and replacement of all the old windows replaced by new wood/metal windows with triple glazing security. The inner side of the wooden window is finished with a white veil that allows glimpses of the wood grain; the exterior, in aluminum, is finished with a dark gray thermolacquering. The original winding system of the roller shutter (with fabric ribbon) has been restored; the bins were insulated and new wooden windowsills were placed.
For the large semicircular window of the stairs the panels of the original glazing have been removed, the original T-shaped metal profile has been maintained and restored, in the thickness of the profile they have found new compact glass enclosures of insulating and safety triple glazing, whose most external panel is hammered glass, like the original one.

On the ground floor a new living space has been created combining the old kitchen with an adjacent room. The demolition of the load bearing partition wall made it necessary to lay two HEB metal beams to support the load on the walls of the upper floors. The metal beams were painted white and were transformed into two lighting fixtures by inserting LED strips.
The original floors of the small entrance hall (design of squares of Carrara marble and Bardiglio gray marble) and of the kitchen (light and dark square grit tiles arranged in a diagonal chessboard) have been preserved. The floor of the hall side is new and has been made with a white, gray and black colored rubber grit, which recalls and harmonizes with the colors of the pre-existing floors. A new pellet stove has been installed. The kitchen has been renovated and a piece of furniture has been created that articulates and organizes the entrance, kitchen and hall areas. This piece of furniture has two different heights; contains drawers and shelves on the kitchen side while the side facing the hall is equipped with a dark gray-lighted showcase, drawers, a corner bar and a wide sliding door that allows the TV to be hidden. The doors of all the furniture are light gray in color with a glossy lacquered finish.


The kitchen is constructed from 16 mm thick white melamine elements, while the island is made with 16 mm thick black melamine elements. The fronts are in glossy lacquered MDF, light gray color. The niche element is in matt lacquer, black color. The applied exposed shoulders have the same finish as the fronts, glossy gray lacquered light MDF.
The groove handles are made in the front doors. The plinth with adjustable feet is 80 mm high, and covered with a lacquered front like the doors. The drawers are of the Tandembox type ANTARO double extension with sides in white/black color-coated sheet metal, 16 mm thick bottom with integrated inlet brake.
The worktop is in SILESTONE lagoon, Suede finish, 20 mm thick. The sink is level with no drainer; the hob is also flush with the floor. The covering of the backrest is in extra weiss glass, frosted, gray enamelled, 6 mm thick, transparent perimeter silicone. Linear LED lights with aluminum profile are recessed in the bottom of the hanging element and in the counter shelf.

Stainless steel flush-mounted sink model ERA 111.0515.351, and stainless steel mixer mod. IT WAS 115.0517.896.
The appliances are V-ZUG brand:
COMBAIR-STEAM SE 60 steam oven;
COMBAIR XSE 60 oven;
Hob GK46TIMXSZ;
Dishwasher ADORA 60 S GVi VANO AMPIO;
MAGNUM 2 60i eco refrigerator.
Hood made by WESCO, model UWH 10-75.