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Conceived as a weekend retreat, this home in Cuneo grew out of the restoration and expansion of an abandoned ruin.
Set in the picturesque foothills of the Stura Valley, Buen Retiro is a house that Dario Castellino designed as his own weekend retreat. The project, which brought the ruins of an old, bramble-infested farmhouse back to life, expresses the architect’s love of country living and his ongoing commitment to redevelopment in the valleys of Italy’s Cuneo province.
The project for the restoration and expansion of Buen Retiro was keenly focused on context, beginning with the choice of dark colors and the use of locally sourced timber to create synergies and support local Cuneo businesses. The architect’s approach centered on a complete philological restoration.
Contributing to the home’s harmony with its surroundings, the large south-facing panoramic windows create a visual continuity with the outdoors, while prompting feelings of wellbeing and connection to the environment. Their design also creates an interesting contrast with the much smaller windows of the existing building. The restoration of the form and materials of the original farm building, along with its upstairs and downstairs rooms, centered on retaining the authenticity of its location, while balancing contemporaneity and preservation.
Through targeted consolidation work, the new volume with its long sheet metal roof integrates with the original stone and lime building, giving a unity and wholeness to the home. The extension has clean lines and slender timber pillars on an insulated concrete base, while the roof deck is insulated and has timber beams. The walls are nailed timber boards packed with CalceLegnoCanapa® insulation, a product based on three materials that has low environmental impact and good mechanical, seismic, fire-resistance, and insulating properties. To preserve the timber and give it better resistance to weathering, Castellino used the Japanese Shou Sugi Ban method, which involves charring the surface of the wood and then applying Tung oil.
The project placed a great deal of emphasis on environmental sustainability and achieving zero emissions. Photovoltaic panels on the roof combined with storage batteries make it entirely energy self-sufficient. A stone’s throw from the home, Castellino has also created a fully glazed summer house in the woods to enjoy the beauty of the valley’s panorama in every direction and at any time of the day.
Buen Retiro is one of five finalists in the Private Architecture category of this year’s Wood Architecture Prize, organized by Klimahouse Fiera Bolzano. The jury statement reads:
“This elegant glass pavilion on its slender timber deck has an airy, free-plan living area adjoining a restored farm building, which now houses a bathroom at ground level and an upstairs bedroom. With great elegance, the work, set in rustic foothills and intended as a weekend refuge for the architect/client, has much in common with the great traditions of modern country homes.”
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Location: Roccasparvera, Cuneo, Italy
Completion: 2023
Site Area: 1,845 m2
Gross Floor Area: 84 m2
Architect: Dario Castellino
Main Contractor: Edilbieffe
Consultants
Structures: Eretika
Heating System: Studio Tecno
Phography by Fabio Oggero, courtesy of Dario Castellino Architect
