Lying to the southeast of the Italian city of Ferrara, Aguscello is one of the many small towns that dot the Ferrara Plains. It’s a place with fields that stretch as far as the eye can see, bell towers scattered across the horizon, a few isolated farmhouses, and homes with gardens created on subdivisions of what were once ancient rural villages.

Studio Apostoli has designed a three-level home surrounded by a large garden in one of the town’s vacant lots. A shift away from the local tradition of brick construction and double-pitched roofs, the home is composed of pure geometric volumes that interpenetrate on different levels and are characterized by contrasting neutral tones that integrate with the landscape. To emphasize the distinction between the different heights of the volumes, a thin black metal strip runs along the upper edges of the home, simultaneously highlighting the pergola, outdoor shade structures, and windows.

 

>>> Discover Villa in Lazise, designed by Piersolieri Architecture

 

A modern home in Ferrara

The composition of volumes on different planes combines with different shades to create an interplay of solids and voids, of intersections and permeability between the volumes. This spills over into the relationship between inside and out by creating a series of transition spaces, namely a portico created by the upper cantilevered volume and a large roof terrace over the volume below.

The close link between inside and outside is further underscored by the double visual created by the large glazed curtain walls, with the double glazed area that marks off the large internal staircase leading the eye through the Zen garden set between the volumes. Then, when viewed from outside, either with the windows open or at night with the lights on, the interior spaces become an extension of the garden.

Both inside and outside the home, the differentiation between spaces is extremely rich. Inside, the staircase forms a scenographic element between the two floors as well as the fulcrum between the living and sleeping areas. On the lower level, it visually delineates the living area, with the kitchen at the front and an open plan area with a central fireplace. A guest bedroom, a study, and service areas are also on this floor. Upstairs are three bedrooms, two of which overlook the large terrace.

The variety of outdoor spaces is equally rich. The lawn surrounding the home is marked off by paths finished with ceramic tiles that reflect the colors of the home. The infinity pool and small Zen-inspired garden add to the richness of how residents can experience the outdoors.

 

>>> Read the article on Villa Molli in Sala Comacina, a house set between a lake and the sky designed by Lorenzo Guzzini

 

An NZEB house

The contemporary language of the design combines with a commitment to placing the home in the NZEB (Nearly Zero Energy Building) category. As a result, the building features high energy efficiency and was built according to principles of sustainability and bioclimatic design, providing another example of how sustainability is an essential element of contemporary architecture.

 

>>> You have until July 14 to register for THE PLAN Award 2022, an annual international award for excellence in architecture, interior design, and urban planning with 20 categories, including HOUSE, dedicated to houses in urban settings, houses with limited green space, apartments, lofts, penthouses

 

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