Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
With a program spread over two floors, the Casa Lucy project responds to the steep slope of the land, which faces a preservation area at the back of the plot. The social area was arranged on the lower level, in direct contact with the ground and the natural surroundings, while the bedrooms and bathrooms occupy the upper floor.
Access from the highest level of the plot places the intimate area next to the front façade, making the longitudinal circulation an important element in the formal composition of the façade. This passage, conceived as a gallery, has a continuous white wall with doors to the rooms and a glass surface facing the front of the plot. Initially, a gabion wall with a height of 2.10 meters was planned in front of the façade, creating a visual filter and sheltering a linear garden in its interstice. However, it was decided to keep the façade completely glazed, in search of a more direct and clean expression.
The two children's bedrooms are separated from the master suite by the void of the staircase, which organizes and articulates the two floors of the building and signals the entrance to the house. With a zenithal roof and concrete pergolas, the staircase leads down to the lower level towards the woods at the bottom of the plot. This view is gradually revealed, culminating in a panoramic opening when you reach the social areas.
The width of the plot allowed for a horizontal and elongated layout, with the upper and lower rooms arranged side by side, all facing the backyard and the forest. Large aluminum frames with movable panels provide generous openings in the social area, with a ceiling height of four meters and a flat slab supported by inverted beams, which increases the sensation of space and natural light.
The internal layout enhances the relationship with the outdoors: the staircase frames the landscape in the background, the garage offers a direct view of the woods, and the entire lower floor connects to the garden just a few steps away, even from the laundry room. The terrace integrates the bedrooms, with a railing that acts as a bench for contemplation. A bathtub facing the window also looks out onto the woods, reiterating the continuous connection with the preserved forest.
The side gables of exposed concrete ensure privacy and delimit the horizontal gesture of the house, reinforced by the openings and their frames. Materials such as concrete, glass, wood and white surfaces were chosen for their sobriety, durability and ease of maintenance.
