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Colle Granaro's Country House
Colle Granaro's Country House
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Colle Granaro's Country House
Introduction
Colle Granaro's Country House concludes the first phase of a larger project covering an area of 60 hectares, sited 3 km from the historical hilltop town of Pianella in the Abruzzo region.
The project has been sponsored by the town's municipality and committed by the owner, mr. Carlo Cuzzi, who also has arranged for the present publication documenting the first phase of the project.
The Country House is located on the most elevated position in the range, and is the cardinal point of the project in its entirety, which encompasses the surrounding area enclosed by an old-growth oak stand, a natural lake and a stream lined with elm and poplar. The cultivated area is mostly olive groove, but also contains vineyards of considerable size, and yields excellent quality oil and wine.
The project comprises a multi-purpose area including the Country House, and additionally areas intended for a variety of sports activities, amongst others, equitation and archery, and trails for walking tours.
Furthermore, facilities for small scale biological production of local specialities are included in the project.
The goal of the project is to create a well-equipped structure for tourism and leisure as well as agricultural production, that hopefully will aid in re-qualifying a substantial area of surrounding rural territory which until now has been somewhat neglected.
Architecture
When we first saw the Invernadero of Barcellona in Antonioni's film "Professione Reporter", and subsequently had the opportunity to visit it in person, we were positively struck by the beauty of the effects created by its external surfaces despite the essentially simple construction, most of all the subtle play of shadow and light so strikingly documented by Antonioni. Recently, open louvred structures composed of wooden slats have seen frequent use by a number of architects, sometimes to great effect.
However, due to the extremely variable nature of daylight, the actual outcome is not easily predicted by models or drawings - the subtle interactions of the ever-changing light with materials, textures and shapes will be revealed only once the structure is actually built.
As often happens in this line of work, the memories of past impressions and aspirations have found a way to materialize through structural and formal choices we have often observed with interest, but until now have not had the opportunity to apply in practical realizations.
In fact, the central gallery which is the backbone of this project, consists in a raised, covered walkway, widened at intervals to form lounge areas. The walkway is protected from the elements by slats fitted to the double-height Corten steel framework, intended to provide an ever-changing play of shadow and light.
Layout
The layout of the structure are shaped by a number of existing artifacts, which, in the early design stages, were thought likely to be partially included in the project.
The central walkway, like a dorsal spine, both unites the structure's three main volumes and divides them in two wings. These extend towards the south facing the countryside, and towards the north facing a plaza.
The main volumes are provided with galleries along their length, which provide access to the apartments. The external space, through intersection of the central walkway and the main volumes, takes the shape of paved courtyards, provided with trees.
Apartments in the main volumes come in three sizes: thirty units of 46 square meters net size are positioned back-to-back along the volumes' length. The end faces towards the south contain a further three units of 66 sq.m. with a 70 sq.m. terrace, and six 25 sq.m. studios.
A cocktail bar and a restaurant will be located at the opposite end of the main volumes, facing the plaza which also hosts an open air cinema-theatre. Also sited in this area will be commercial spaces dedicated to typical local products and arts and crafts.
Colle Granaro's Country House concludes the first phase of a larger project covering an area of 60 hectares, sited 3 km from the historical hilltop town of Pianella in the Abruzzo region.
The project has been sponsored by the town's municipality and committed by the owner, mr. Carlo Cuzzi, who also has arranged for the present publication documenting the first phase of the project.
The Country House is located on the most elevated position in the range, and is the cardinal point of the project in its entirety, which encompasses the surrounding area enclosed by an old-growth oak stand, a natural lake and a stream lined with elm and poplar. The cultivated area is mostly olive groove, but also contains vineyards of considerable size, and yields excellent quality oil and wine.
The project comprises a multi-purpose area including the Country House, and additionally areas intended for a variety of sports activities, amongst others, equitation and archery, and trails for walking tours.
Furthermore, facilities for small scale biological production of local specialities are included in the project.
The goal of the project is to create a well-equipped structure for tourism and leisure as well as agricultural production, that hopefully will aid in re-qualifying a substantial area of surrounding rural territory which until now has been somewhat neglected.
Architecture
When we first saw the Invernadero of Barcellona in Antonioni's film "Professione Reporter", and subsequently had the opportunity to visit it in person, we were positively struck by the beauty of the effects created by its external surfaces despite the essentially simple construction, most of all the subtle play of shadow and light so strikingly documented by Antonioni. Recently, open louvred structures composed of wooden slats have seen frequent use by a number of architects, sometimes to great effect.
However, due to the extremely variable nature of daylight, the actual outcome is not easily predicted by models or drawings - the subtle interactions of the ever-changing light with materials, textures and shapes will be revealed only once the structure is actually built.
As often happens in this line of work, the memories of past impressions and aspirations have found a way to materialize through structural and formal choices we have often observed with interest, but until now have not had the opportunity to apply in practical realizations.
In fact, the central gallery which is the backbone of this project, consists in a raised, covered walkway, widened at intervals to form lounge areas. The walkway is protected from the elements by slats fitted to the double-height Corten steel framework, intended to provide an ever-changing play of shadow and light.
Layout
The layout of the structure are shaped by a number of existing artifacts, which, in the early design stages, were thought likely to be partially included in the project.
The central walkway, like a dorsal spine, both unites the structure's three main volumes and divides them in two wings. These extend towards the south facing the countryside, and towards the north facing a plaza.
The main volumes are provided with galleries along their length, which provide access to the apartments. The external space, through intersection of the central walkway and the main volumes, takes the shape of paved courtyards, provided with trees.
Apartments in the main volumes come in three sizes: thirty units of 46 square meters net size are positioned back-to-back along the volumes' length. The end faces towards the south contain a further three units of 66 sq.m. with a 70 sq.m. terrace, and six 25 sq.m. studios.
A cocktail bar and a restaurant will be located at the opposite end of the main volumes, facing the plaza which also hosts an open air cinema-theatre. Also sited in this area will be commercial spaces dedicated to typical local products and arts and crafts.
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