Casa Vivaio

Formigine, Italy

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Casa Vivaio

Formigine, Italy

Firm

Ambientevario

Type

Residential › Private House

STATUS

Built

YEAR

2024

SIZE

0 sqft - 1000 sqft

Casa Vivaio is located in the first suburban area of the city of Formigine (MO). The building was originally created as the workshop of the blacksmith Mauro Solmi, who built it in the 1970s next to his home. Following the transformation of the city, due to the increasing housing demand in the second half of the last century, the area where the building is located progressively became more residential in character. The project took shape from the need to convert the blacksmith’s warehouse into a residence, adapting the spaces to their new function. The design intention was not to alter the artisanal nature of the building, but to adapt it to new residential needs. The living function blends with the former artisanal use and vice versa, projecting the building into a new way of living, where spaces are interconnected and less rigid.
Working on existing buildings requires particular attention to the relationship between new and existing, distinguishing between what has an explicit value and what holds a latent one. For Casa Vivaio, it was essential to understand the existing building and the logic behind its construction, in order to uncover its latent value and turn it into the cornerstone of the project. The artisanal spirit of the building has been preserved by favoring a floor plan distribution that avoids rigid visual barriers, thus allowing multiple open views.
The lot is almost entirely occupied by the building, which is why greenery has been placed inside the architecture, by hollowing out its central part to create a large patio. The patio becomes a pause point between the day and night areas, but at the same time it is the element that unites both spaces, allowing the home to open towards a central core. Privacy is nonetheless guaranteed by the greenery, which acts as a filter. The choice to preserve the roof beams in the patio makes it possible to read the original workshop structure both from inside and outside.
The house is treated as a box: everything happens within it, and greenery takes on an architectural role, becoming the heart of the dwelling with a specific significance in relation to the project as a whole. Through this approach, in which the perception of the built environment is totalizing, the available space was fully exploited to project greenery into the interior as well, establishing an in-and-out relationship between house and garden. The two environments are not strictly separated; rather, nature is brought inside.
Alongside the main building, small concrete additions have been created, retracing earlier extensions. These external volumes were reconstructed in exposed concrete and serve a dual function: externally they act as planters/hanging gardens, while internally they house the kitchen, bathrooms, and other service functions of the residence.
The desire to respect the nature of the building also guided the choice of materials. Inside, exposed concrete, brick, and iron are used, creating a balanced synergy with the large glass surfaces. On the outside, the predominant materials are dark exposed brick, sheet metal roofing, and exposed concrete, interspersed
with greenery that, as if it were a true construction material, is strategically placed to create continuity between exterior and interior. The materials used belong to tradition, but through new combinations they generate a contemporary project.
Design choices also involved a careful study of the stratigraphy of walls and floors to improve the energy performance of the existing structure. The building was insulated using an external brick-clad thermal coat, in order to ensure thermal insulation without sacrificing the materiality of brick.

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Casa Vivaio

Formigine, Italy

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Casa Vivaio

Formigine, Italy

Other Projects by Ambientevario

Nuvola 75

La Molinella

Casa BN

Ex Officine Tosi

EV Concept Store

Studio AV

Casa Vivaio

Formigine, Italy

Product Spec Sheet

Collaborating Firms

Team