Pinwheel House

By Editorial Staff - 2 October 2023
Cimento has participated in the project

Nestled in a wooded clearing and surrounded by the hills of Lake Maggiore on the border with Switzerland, the bright white silhouette of Pinwheel stands out like a jewel set into the land. Constructed using a prefabricated wooden structure, the house was designed by JM Architecture and then built and furnished in just six months, thanks in part to the speed ensured by the drywall solutions, especially the ventilated façade by Cimento, a company specialized in innovative cement construction products.

The interior layout, based on a pentagonal plan, revolves around an open space where the study, living and kitchen areas merge into each other. A large sliding door in the living area offers breathtaking views of the lake valley, while the study has a second door that leads to an outdoor living space. The bedrooms and bathrooms are located on the upper level, accessible via a central spiral staircase.

Pinwheel © Jacopo Mascheroni, courtesy Cimento

Both inside and out, the white tones are really what draws the viewer’s attention, seemingly emphasizing the distinction between artifice and nature, while simultaneously maintaining a dialogue between the structure of the house and the green landscape. In this context, Cimento^® Rialto panels were an ideal way to make the most of the light tones of the façade cladding, while maximizing the technical performance of the house. Specially designed for outdoor use, this Cimento solution requires no additional finishes or special maintenance and is perfectly suited to projects where sustainability and energy efficiency are key drivers, as in the case of Pinwheel, which has a highly-insulated structure, and heating and hot water are produced by a photovoltaic system.

The rounded edges of the envelope, possible thanks to Cimento^® and interrupted only by vertical ribs, also emphasize the connection between and seamless integration of all the components of the building. By using ready-to-install panels, which were attached to the ventilated façade using a concealed system, it was possible to keep pace with the tight construction schedule. As a dependable partner, Cimento brought to the project its professionalism and expertise, as well as its patented Made in Italy material, whose versatility and lightness were at the heart of the creation of a functional house in harmony with the environment.