Spectacular volumes, materials with a raw charm, contemporary look and minimal accessories: these are some of the features of GAU house, by JPA ANTORINI ARCHITETTI of Jean Pierre Antorini. It is a single-family house in Torricella, north of Lugano (Switzerland); it reflects the philosophy of the Studio, always devoted to Feng Shui philosophy of and continuous innovation without mediations.
The project
The modern and cozy two-storey building, for a total of 200m², is characterized by neat linear shapes and a neutral and versatile chromatic palette.
The large windows overlook the green landscape of Torricella hillsides, thus giving a naturalistic view that resembles that of movies, while a part of the structure is inserted into the ground to protect the house from any noise that might come from the adjacent streets.
Despite the cubic and sharp shape and the deep shades of the exteriors, the interior is bright and radiant thanks to the particular structure that lets in the light, becoming integral part of the environment.
In order to meet the needs of the clients, realizing a quality project in line with JPA Studio philosophy, they carried on a deep research to find craftsmen able to provide sustainable and high-quality materials.
The materials
The wise choice of materials is also a main feature of the project: on one side, there are concrete, corten steel and cements, while on the other one they used wood in different shades, with warm tones on coating and interior finishes.
The choice was made specifically to give a modern look, besides making the architecture warm by combining different surface effects. In the spaces, the warm oak elements coexist with the essential and “cold” ones made of concrete.
The corten steel gives a worn look; this inspiration is visible in the exteriors (coat "rope" color, rusty corten, wooden panels and terrace floor) where everything has a material feature. Even stairs, doors and windows, as well as the kitchen, reflect a used and unconventional mark, which the materials (including the corten laminate effect) made also cozy.
