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A large floor-to-ceiling window extends across the building’s façade, offering panoramic views of the forest and letting in abundant natural light.
Emanuele Scaramellini has designed a new residence in Lottano, a charming village of stone houses in Italy’s Sondrio province. Immersed in a bucolic landscape of mountains and meadows, the home is the result of the renovation of a farmhouse that aimed to preserve its original identity according to Camillo Boito’s principles of philological restoration. This approach involves the conservation and upgrading of some original sections and making the new additions clearly distinguishable from them.
The stone external walls of the existing building have been preserved, with the addition of internal metal framing to replace the old, water-damaged timber beams. An adjacent stone building, reduced to a pile of rubble, was rebuilt in the size and shape as the original but with timber as the main material.
One of the most distinctive elements of the project is the large floor-to-ceiling window set in a wooden structure that occupies the southern frontage. This opening is located where a crack ran through the building, from the ground to the roof. The new element creates a dialogue between the internal and external environments, allowing abundant natural light into the home and offering views of the surrounding forest.
The original stone exterior has been preserved on this wall to create a material contrast with the new timber section. Surrounding the large window, the timber construction comprises alternating boards and strips of wood, recalling the old stone brickwork with and its mortar joints. This solution lets the two textures flow naturally into each other, without the need for a transitional element.
The building itself resembles a tower, with each floor having a single room with a specific function. The kitchen is at ground level, an open plan space that leads to the garden via extensive transparent surfaces, creating a unique environment that connects the inside and outside. On the second floor is the entrance and living room, which connects the living and sleeping areas.
The master bedroom is on the third floor, a double-height space with the bed on a mezzanine floor whose large window offers views over the village of Lottano and the surrounding natural landscape. The timber structure adjoining the house has the bathroom and boiler room, distinguishing the service areas from the area they serve.
The interiors feature a palette of neutral colors, ranging from wood to white plaster, creating an elegant, essential mood. The furnishings, also designed by Scaramellini and made by local artisans, are minimalist, with simple lines and dark tones, including black, that contrast with the timber surfaces. Found in the exposed rafters as well as details such as doorhandles, faucets, and spotlights, iron acts as a unifying element throughout the home.
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Location: Lottano, Sondrio, Italy
Architect: Emanuele Scaramellini
Lighting: Viabizzuno
Bathroom Accessories: Duravit
Photography by Marcello Mariana, courtesy of Emanuele Scaramellini
