casa in brianza
Designed by architect Andrea Gerosa and engineer-architect Franco Gerosa, Casa in Brianza is a contemporary villa located near Lake Como, where a large glazed façade and generous windows visually dissolve the boundary between interior and exterior, maximizing the dialogue with the surrounding greenery. Thanks to the collaboration with landscape architect Valerio Cozzi, the garden is closely intertwined with the built architecture: evergreen hedges frame a sequence of seasonal blooms, open up views of the landscape, and bring the character of nature into every room.
The villa project originated from the client’s request for a single-storey private residence housing the main living spaces, along with a basement level dedicated to garages, service and technical areas, and a library naturally lit by a patio. Given the elongated, tapered shape of the plot, the views, solar orientations, and proximity to ordinary residential fabric, the designers opted for a building with a clear and essential aesthetic.
The living area opens to the northeast, overlooking the panorama of the Lecco Prealps and facing a 10x4-meter infinity pool clad in classic travertine, like all the exterior surfaces of the solarium and perimeter paths. The sleeping quarters are oriented to the southwest and are connected in sequence, starting from the entrance, conceived as a vestibule for guests.
The perimeter structure, made of cast-in-place concrete and finished with a special plaster, anchors the building to the ground and becomes the sole load-bearing element of the entire envelope - ensuring solidity and minimal maintenance. The horizontal development of the villa is completed by a large gabled roof with 10.5-meter overhangs, evoking a sense of domestic shelter and echoing the traditional architecture of rural farmhouses. The brown-colored aluminum roof is treated as a fifth façade: elements such as vents, chimneys, drainage channels, and safety lines are fully integrated into the architectural design. Only the large rectangular chimney that rises above the profile of the roof reveals the central axis of the home, housing the systems for mechanical ventilation, exhaust, and air treatment.
The overall geometric balance of the project is embraced by the garden, which—with an explosion of shapes and colors - hosts resilient plant species with low water requirements. While the residence meets the client’s desire for minimal reliance on non-renewable energy sources, the garden’s upkeep is reduced to a minimum, and the irrigation system reuses rainwater. Adjacent to the house, a lightweight structure serves as a covered pedestrian entrance, incorporating a large photovoltaic array.
Inside, wooden ceiling cladding, custom-designed furniture in soft shades of green and grey, and the use of stone and oak for flooring create a warm and welcoming atmosphere—perfectly consistent with the materials used outdoors and the delicate beauty of the garden.
