casa es

Bordighera, Italy

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Other Projects by Pietra Alborno

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Renovation, energy efficiency and extension of the refectory of a kindergarten and primary school

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casa es

Bordighera, Italy

Firm

Pietra Alborno

Type

Residential › Private House

STATUS

Built

YEAR

2023

SIZE

0 sqft - 1000 sqft

BUDGET

$500K - 1M

The ES House project began with the first meeting with the clients, with whom an immediate affinity was established. By the time the project was completed, this had evolved into a friendly trust, which was the foundation for its success.
The clients fell in love with the spaciousness and open view of the Mediterranean of a 1960s house with a garden, built as part of one of the first post-war housing developments in Bordighera. The area is called Conca d'Africa, a name which makes the area's natural beauty and favourable climate clear.
Alongside the renovation and energy upgrade of the building, the outdoor spaces were also redesigned, with the swimming pool being incorporated into a secluded area of the garden. This was done at the client's request, to preserve the centuries-old Mediterranean maquis species present in the most exposed and panoramic part.
The choices for the house follow the same spirit of respectful renovation: preserving simple spaces that will not be filled with objects and using natural materials that are consistent with the modernist language with which they are confronted.
The elongated solid bricks used for the 'basement' façade on the second floor effectively solve the need for an alternative cladding to the existing grey stone, actively contributing to the wall's new stratigraphy.
Simple and flexible stitching elements can be found in the form of solid bricks on exterior pathways, in the new brise soleil and on the roof deck. They are also used for the chimney, which is not hidden but becomes a compositional element, a signal and a panoramic seat supporting the wooden pergola.
Natural sustainability is evident in the choice of materials for the envelope, such as the wood fibre coat system, which is also used for the insulation of the roof deck, which has been converted into a panoramic deck. It is also found in the window and door frames and interior spaces, which are finished in clay with a neutral colouring that is used uniformly throughout.
This project has a unifying theme: the human dimension of a simple language that speaks of land and sea, starting from the plain and discovering the light of the Mediterranean.