Located in the Swiss Alpine village of Lumino, just north of Bellinzona, this very cool house from Davide Macullo Architects stands as a monolithic element, quietly complementing and echoing its context. The surrounding area is characterised by traditional stone built houses, many of which date back centuries and are marked by their use of this single construction material.
Situated on the edge of the old village, the architects say the house acts as a sort of ‘bastion between the old core and the modern residential expansion.’ In addition to the local scale references and material cues siphoned from the physical context, the concept and approach to the project was further influenced by the clients’ expressed desire for a minimalist aesthetic, both internally and externally. The design team adds that, “what is interesting about the house is the ability of the spaces to expand and extend into the landscape, allowing the external become part of the composition.” The new house is intended as a relevant response to and contemporary interpretation of the vernacular; its exposed reinforced concrete form recalls the revered strength and resonates the presence of these old stone houses. [via architectural review]
