Private residence Villa T

By Caterina Testa - 11 December 2018

Designed by Marco Castelletti, Villa T, a contemporary “cottage” gives concrete expression to the dreams and wishes of a young family with two small children. Located in northern Lombardy in a region known as Alta Brianza, the plot lies between new housing to the southeast and the national Lambro Valley Park to the northwest. The villa, an archetypal parallelepiped volume, lies on a north-south axis as if to mark out a boundary between the built world on one side, and the open unspoiled river valley on the other. Accordingly, the façade facing the town is closed while the opposite side of overlooking the countryside is open. The pitched roof in lightweight metal includes a photovoltaic plant in discreet dark glass on both east- and west-facing sides to ensure maximum efficiency. The house is an intelligent amalgam - both architecturally and technologically - of tradition and modernity. The plastered façades and stone base hark back to the age-old typologies of this Italian region and the local building techniques that make them possible. The austere lines and suspended metal roof are a visible break with the past. A ground source heat pump placed at a depth of 100 m ensures comfort-zone temperatures throughout the house while the photovoltaic plant on the roof meets other energy requirements. The functional and distribution program were designed to client requirements and contribute to the effortless blend between past and present, tradition and avant-garde. Beyond the closed, almost concealed entrance jealously guarding the occupants’ privacy, is an ample ground floor that opens out through a full-height glazed wall onto the Lambro river park. The glazing extends from the living area into the south-facing kitchen. The cantilevered upper floor contains the children’s night zone with bedrooms, bathrooms and walk-in closets. The central double-height ground floor living area connects with the upper floor loft bedrooms. A large...