Sintered Stone for Material and Color Combinations
Designed by Mario Mazzer Architects, Villa Emma is located in Porto Rotondo on the Italian island of Sardinia. The design draws inspiration from a traditional rectangular building with a pitched roof - known as a stazzu - that local shepherds and farmers from the Gallura region of the island once lived in, but brings contemporary touches to create a delightful merging of tradition and modernity. The lower level is dug into the mountain and was built with solid hand-cut granite blocks. The upper level is characterized by extensive windows to allow light to flow into the interior of the home. The pediment is turned into a defining architectural element, extended forward to provide shade and protection for the elegant terrace. The careful choice of Lapitec sintered stone makes it a seamless, albeit fundamental addition to the design of Villa Emma. The pondered selection of material textures and colors resulted in the Vesuvio and Dune lines being favored, although in different finishes to perfectly match the setting. The Vesuvio finish has evident granite tones, chosen here in Bianco Polare white for the front elevation of the building. Dune is inspired by desert sand shaped by the wind, and in this project Grigio Cemento grey was used for cladding the bottom and sides of the pool. The choice of a lighter hue for the pool interior adds visual depth, which is then amplified by the contrast with the use of Nero Antracite black, in the Vesuvio finish, on the external walkway. The lighting was the final carefully selected touch to exalt these color and material combinations. The ability to work Lapitec stones was fundamental in the placement of LED lights on the pool steps, as well as ensuring the stones around the pool have gentle rounded edges. The mechanical performance, the ease with which the stone can be worked and the lack of porosity are vital elements in making Lapitec products durable and versatile, a competitive solution for many different indoor and outdoor projects. For example in the villa the warm, dark tones of the stone in the Dune finish, in Avana brown, fit perfectly with the rest of the furnishings, adding to the welcoming elegance of the home.