Casa PC: a renovation combining iron and glass

On paper, at least, this project simply involved the renovation and extension of an existing building. But the reality is much more interesting. With architectural design by Nuovostudio and DL, and interior design by ARP studio, this project is a remarkable example of renovation combined with the creation of an iron and glass sunroom.

From a purely compositional perspective, the project had two separate parts: on the one hand, the restoration and renovation of the residence and, on the other, the building of a garden sunroom onto the existing building.

 

 

Casa PC: a renovation combining iron and glass

The building was restored following conventional criteria, with the exterior faithfully preserved and the changes made mainly concerning the interior layout and walls. The metal and glass extension, however, was conceived as an autonomous addition.

The idea of making the iron and glass sunroom appear light and permeable was central to the design process, with the extension seemingly suspended above the ground to create a balanced relationship with the existing building and the established garden. This solution also creates a relationship with the nearby sea.

 

>>> Speaking of iron and glass, take a look at this hotel in San Genesio, in the province of Bolzano, which has two rooftop swimming pools

 

 

Layout of Casa PC

In terms of its intended use, the project’s aims are clear. While the building was designed with utility rooms on the ground floor and bedrooms on the first, the new sunroom will provide new living areas and a kitchen-dining room space, taking advantage of its direct and visual connection to the garden.

A swimming pool has been built near the sunroom. Harmonizing with it perfectly, it forms an extension of the living space. Open the windows, and the garden and sunroom become a large, open-air living area in which the border between inside and out is extremely blurred.

Turning to the garden, the architects wanted to keep all the most outstanding plants – such as the pines and oaks – while removing the less significant shrubs that had come to infest the area during the years the property was abandoned. All this was done as part of a new garden design.

 

>>> Minimizing demolition: take a look at this project for Manifattura Tabacchi in Florence, Italy’s so-called new “Factory,” the work of Luca and Marco Baldini’s practice Q-bic and landscape architect Antonio Perazzi