Excerpt: House F by Celoria Architects is conceived as a concrete monolith rising from the steep terrain of Tremona, blending with the natural morphology of the soil. The project develops vertically, following the logic of the slope, from an immersed concrete plinth to a bright living area conceived as a domestic observatory. Architecture balances silence, intimacy, and a strong connection with the landscape.
Project Description
[Text as submitted by architect] In the heart of the Tremona district, in the municipality of Mendrisio, a steep terrain provides the opportunity for a powerful architectural gesture. Here, a single-family home rises like a concrete monolith from the ground, blending in with the natural morphology of the soil.
The project develops vertically, following the logic of the slope, like an ascending path of living. At the base, the concrete plinth is immersed in the earth, housing the sleeping area and garage. The architectural body then opens upwards, culminating in a bright, open space that accommodates the living area: a domestic observatory facing the landscape.
The choice to position the living area on the upper level offers an uninterrupted view of the surrounding nature, relating to the forest to the east and creating a direct connection with the green area to the north. A continuous 1.30-metre-high perimeter window forms a transparent ribbon that embraces the view, allowing light and silence to filter through, while ensuring privacy for daily activities.
Inside this suspended volume, space flows seamlessly. The only exceptions within this fluid, continuous space are the small pantry area and the kitchen. Protecting this ethereal environment, a four-pitched roof rests on eight pillars, creating a section that varies between 1.30 and 5.40 metres in height, in a play of proportions that enhances the sense of refuge and openness.
The house was born from the client’s desire for a place of peace, where time expands between the pages of a book in front of the fireplace, and where she can welcome her children’s families during school holidays. An architecture designed to experience silence and intimacy, while maintaining a strong connection with the landscape.
The internal layout is organised around a vertical core: a staircase connecting the three levels which, rather than being a simple functional element, becomes a hinge between depth and lightness, between shadow and light.
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