Villa sul Rio Fontanelle: A Home in the Dolomites

At the foot of the majestic Pale di San Martino mountain group, where the scent of freshly cut wood mingles with the gentle murmur of a stream, stands Villa sul Rio Fontanelle. In an ancient fir forest just a stone’s throw from the watercourse that gives it its name, the villa has a deep connection with its natural surroundings.

Designed by Mimeus Architettura, an architectural collective based in the Primiero Valley, the home reinterprets the tradition of mountain living through a contemporary lens, merging local materials with a constant dialogue between interior and exterior.

Located in San Martino di Castrozza in Italy’s Trentino-Alto Adige region, the villa stands on the site of a former 1960s home, which was demolished to make way for the new construction. The site is also adjacent to the Le Fontanelle residential complex, one of the best-known works by Venetian architect Bruno Morassutti, completed in 1964.

Mountain living: Spaces in dialogue with the landscape

The villa, commissioned as a vacation home for a family of five, comprises two main bodies separated by a metal staircase that connects the street-level entrance to the lower garden. Built on sloping terrain off a curving road, the building integrates into the site’s morphology, transforming these characteristics into key elements of its architectural composition.

The main volume has multiple levels, with the main entrance and four bedrooms at street level. The upper floor houses the living area, an open, well-lit space that overlooks the garden via a glazed loggia. From here, residents can enjoy 360-degree views of the mountains and, at dusk, they can witness the “alpenglow,” an optical phenomenon typical of Pale di San Martino, where the peaks take on a reddish glow as the sun sets.

On the lower level, built at grade, are additional guest accommodation, a cellar, and service spaces. A second volume, linked internally to the main volume’s lower level, houses a two-level spa, equipped with a sauna, Turkish bath, and a lounge space overlooking the surrounding woods.

Local materials and enduring design choices

A defining feature of the project is the use of local materials, selected for their durability and ability to seamlessly integrate with the Alpine setting. The exterior surfaces are fully clad in larch, with the boards arranged both horizontally and vertically to create a sense of movement, and an intriguing interplay of solids and voids.

An aging treatment was applied to the ventilated façade to harmonize the timber’s coloration while reducing long-term maintenance requirements. As a result, the home blends naturally into its forest setting.

Extensive glazing with hidden frames dissolves the boundaries between inside and out, allowing natural light to flood the interiors and establishing an ongoing visual dialogue with the landscape.

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