A Secret Pavilion. Cooking among the trees
In the rolling hills of Vicenza, nestled within a wooded landscape, nature becomes the backdrop for the design of a villa’s extension. What was once a simple terrace is reimagined as a luminous glass pavilion, an elegant volume that emerges discreetly among the trees. The new space does not impose itself on the environment but rather reflects and dialogues with it, transforming architecture into a subtle presence woven into the fabric of the surrounding vegetation.
Originally built in the late 1960s, the villa has been gradually expanded and modified over the years. Its layered and complex structure becomes the starting point for the conception of a new volume which, articulated through a regular modular rhythm, integrates seamlessly as an elegant piece of an architectural puzzle.
The new structure is strategically positioned at the rear of the villa, shielded from external views and immersed in privacy. On one side it connects seamlessly to the dining room, while on the other it opens out towards the surrounding park and the swimming pool, establishing a direct dialogue between the interior and the landscape.
The original terrace, once characterized by a complex and articulated geometry, is redefined with a simplified outline to host the new volume. Its perimeter is extended, while the former stone staircases and planters are removed to make way for a new linear staircase, emphasizing clarity and continuity in the overall composition.
On this new base rises the iron load-bearing frame, articulated through vertical and horizontal profiles that define the structure. Within this grid are set the wooden and glass window frames, creating a dialogue between transparency and materiality. The composition is completed by a pitched aluminum roof, which crowns and unifies the new architectural volume.
The new glass room brings a renewed sense of openness to the villa. The use of an iron and glass structure embodies an idea of lightness and formal clarity, deliberately contrasting with the solid and intricate character of the existing house. Embraced by the surrounding trees, the volume dissolves its boundaries through large windows that invite the landscape to become part of the interior space.
The façade comes to life through the use of metal casings that, while protecting the windows, trace the structural grid and window frames, discreetly concealing gutters and downspouts. The repetition of this detail, both vertically and horizontally, at the base and the top of the volume, reinforces the rhythm of the composition and lends depth and definition to the façade.
The interior of the expanded volume accommodates the kitchen, conceived as a place of conviviality, directly connected to the dining room. The former kitchenette, now repurposed as a service area, makes way for a bright and welcoming space designed to become the heart of shared moments and daily gatherings.
The textured surfaces of the iron structure are visible from the dining room and continue seamlessly onto the ceiling. The joints between the beams are concealed, lending the volume a clean and contemporary structural expression.
The windows and structural framework compose evocative frames that overlook the park and swimming pool, creating ever-changing 'pictures' that evolve with the seasons. Natural light fills the room, filtering through every corner and animating the space throughout the day.
The kitchen is a suspended surface that hovers over the large windows, creating the illusion of cooking outdoors, immersed in the park, with the trees becoming an essential part of the domestic setting.
The floor of the room is adorned with small green ceramic tiles, providing a visual contrast with the dark solid wood of the dining room while maintaining a continuity with the external lawn. A new step, finished in the same wood, harmoniously links the two spaces, establishing both a visual and material connection.
As evening descends, the new volume transforms into a luminous lantern nestled within the natural surroundings. The interiors glow warmly, reflecting the presence of those who inhabit the space, and shimmering upon the surface of the pool.
CREDITS
Client: Private
Typology: Extension
Place: Hills of Vicenza, Italy
Year: 2024.03
Sqm: 28
Architecture Design: ATOMAA & Filippo Faletti
Interior Design: F.F INTERIOR
Design Team: Andrea del Pedro Pera, Umberto Maj, Cesare Galligani, Filippo Faletti, Sofia Badessi, Konstantinos Ballis
Photographer: Alberto Strada
Architectural model photographer: Francesco Caredda
