This two-family home in the province of Reggio Emilia designed by Mauro Severi and Mario Ferrara is part of an area that was initially developed in the 1960s. The building has two interconnected sections across three levels. The ground floor has the first of the apartments plus, to the north, the utility rooms including the garage. The entrance is on the longest side of the complex - the western facade - with a marble-clad stairwell providing access to all three storeys and glazing used both above and to the side. The first of the two volumes that make up this complex is south facing and cladded in horizontally placed marble slabs, while the other volume - north facing - is clad in oxidised copper panels and has a rounded roof. The chosen marble was Grolla Beige Ondulato from the quarries of FABA-Marmi Faedo, a company in Veneto’s Cornedo valley that has been in the marble working business for over a century. Grolla marble has long been used in the building industry and it can, even when placed outdoors, withstand harsh winters and seaside settings. Since it has low water absorption values and is resistant to the elements, it is not damaged by ice and salty sea air has little effect on it. Its specific appearance and versatile, sombre colouring means it can fit in most setting. It is also very workable. In this design, combining marble and copper makes the building seem somewhat like a giant machine, although with a compact, light sense that fits in well with the nearby edifices. From the outside, the complex is relatively secluded from the numerous surrounding small houses on limited parcels of land and given further protection by the now well-established trees. In contrast, the interior is luminous and spacious, allowing splendid views of the surrounding gardens and greenery, although without losing intimacy or privacy.
Marmi Faedo
Via Monte Cimone, 13
I - 36073 Cornedo (VI)
Tel. +39 0445 953081
Fax +39 0445 952889
E-mail: [email protected]
www.marmifaedo.com
