We are in the historic center of Genoawithin a dense and compact urban fabric, characterized by stately buildings which once housed large halls illuminated by large windows. In this context studio llabbfounded by Luca Scardulla and Federico Robbiano, has created a small apartment which makes space in a portion of a vast hall of an ancient palacesplit several times.
The compact solution, which uses every opportunity with originality to accommodate the life of the young owners, finds its dimension in the double height living roomilluminated by three large windows that frame the close-up view of the domes of San Giorgio and San Torpete. The original hall was divided into two apartments, one of which, the subject of this intervention, covers two thirds of the original surface. The first operation was to almost completely clear the environment by returning to one internal free height of almost 5 metres. In doing so, the double order of three windowsone of which had been rear-ended, overlooking the ancient market square.
This is the moment when, say architects accustomed to enhance small sizesthe history of the building intersects with that of the two young ownersdriven by the need to have large surfaces to collect books, catalogs and works of art, and by the desire to be able to host friends and work from home.
Therefore llabb chose to preserve the portion of the attic and existing partitions only in correspondence with the entrance area, which opposes the windows overlooking the square. Here were placed the bedroom, the pantry, the bathroom, surmounted by a mezzanine made of okumè plywood and divided into different heights. The entrance corridor defines a compressed space which soon expands into the large living area giving rise to a perspective escape which, through the dining area, projects the visitor’s gaze towards the imposing window, almost four meters high, which frames the dome of the church of San Giorgio.
The living area is large and very bright. Here you will find the kitchen and the living room which is also used as a work space. A big one bookcase wall it was designed with seven uprights from floor to ceiling to punctuate the entire wall, which houses the kitchen in its lower part. A ladder with track, made of aluminium, allows you to reach the books placed higher up as well as maintenance of the windows.
The other side of the living area is defined by a articulated custom-made furniture: a spatial device that acts as a staircase to access the mezzanine and which integrates a system of containers for the bedroom, an opaline glass screen that brings more light to the bedroom behind it, a sofa originating from the extension of the first step of the staircase leading to the mezzanine. A light white tubular structure accompanies the climb to the mezzanine where there is a desk which overlooks the lower part of the living area and, in a raised portion above the pantry, a futon for guests.
The volume curve the lower part delimits the shower space of the bathroom, separated by a vertical glass window with slate panels which serves to bring natural light into the small, otherwise blind room. The cutting light plays with the small dark blue tiles of the surfaces. The same ceramics, but in a light gray colour, were used in the rest of the bathroom.
In the bathroom, as in the rest of the apartment, the original terrazzo flooring. Although it does not have a particularly valuable design, it is testimony to Ligurian architectural history. They were also maintained stucco decorations present on the ceiling, although dating back to the beginning of the 20th century. Since there was no corner stucco, it was decided to reinterpret it in a contemporary key, modeling it and then printing it in 3D. The central drawing, unlike the others, represents a Lego man: an “Easter egg”, as the designers call it, which reflects the ironic nature of the studio and its clients.
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Source: living.corriere.it
