On the banks of Lake Garda, the refuge of a family
In the heart of the land of Lugana, on the banks of Lake Garda, this villa with linear and clean lines is born. The clients are a Dutch family, who decided to create a home in this location where they can take refuge for most of the year once they have reached their retirement goal. For the realization of their dream villa, they chose to rely on the knowledgeable hands of professionals in the sector: the studio Cabras Architects Associati, which took care of the design of the building; Zenucchi Design Code to which they turned for indoor and outdoor furniture and for curtains. The exterior design, entirely developed by Cabras Architects Associati, had the objective of preserving and protecting the relationship with the landscape and the presence of the road to the south. The house houses three self-contained residential units, but connected internally and externally to each other. The building was conceived as a machine for observing the landscape; therefore, the space was organized around two main objectives: to create an internal and external path to move smoothly from one level to another and from one room to another, as well as to control the access of natural light by conveying it internally in a precise and selective way. The volume is very simple from the road, characterized by a rather regular shape. Inside, however, it is composed of a volume characterized by wide openings. The volume is surrounded by a masonry curtain that protects it towards the road and along the short sides. Depending on the view and its orientation in relation to the sun, openings were made to convey in a controlled way the passage of light and the views, all maintaining a careful relationship between the full and the empty proportions.
Zenith light to emphasize architecture and design
The strip along the entire southern front houses a spine of services and partly fulfils the vertical and horizontal connections, interspersed with light sockets. In particular, the entrance portal reveals a zenith light filter that passes through all three levels of the main house, conveying natural lighting to all rooms. Once you have crossed the threshold of the main entrance portal, an exploration of the different landscapes surrounding the property begins. To the north the lake and alpine landscape prevails, while to the south the soft and winding landscape of the hills and the plain. The whole building becomes an exploratory path that fulfills the task of accompanying the visitor in the comparison with the landscapes that surround this place. The building, as a tool, becomes a telescope that envelops the viewer and protects him from the vastness of the landscape; the feeling of being always enveloped and protected by looking at the vast horizon is a constant feature of this experience. At the highest level, the attic floor, the exploration of the landscapes culminates with a small opening that discreetly frames the hills of Lugana to the south; a large terrace to the north overlooks Monte Baldo. The punctuation inserted by Zenucchi Design Code had to be at the height of such a studied and perfect set design. Hence the choice of high-level brands such as Minotti, Flexform, Gallotti and Radice, and iconic design pieces by Cassina and Vitra. Soft, custom-made curtains soften the lines and filter the light that illuminates the spaces of the house. An experience of relaxation and fulfillment that passes through all the senses and perceptions.
