House with a View of the Valley

The weekend house in Italian Roana, overlooking the Val d'Assa valley from the slope, almost blends in with the surrounding landscape. The raw larch boards, bleached by the sun, create a contrast to the interior in warm honey tones. Architects Domenico Benetti and Massimo Grigolo created a space for the client where the entire family could gather.

The investor met the architects while working on the Asiago Golf Club project, and both parties soon realized they spoke a common language – a language of respect for nature and tradition. The appreciation for local materials and architectural culture ultimately resulted in the construction of a holiday home with a view, which, thanks to the architects' successful work, is used almost daily.

"We focused on finding the right relationship between the building and nature, as well as on utilizing typologies found in local architecture and translating them into a modern language," explains architect Domenico Benetti. "We studied local materials, such as different types of wooden cladding, and discovered the beauty of natural resources," he adds. The result of the mutual collaboration is a structure that, despite its volume, has been seamlessly integrated into the surrounding landscape. The necessary facilities have been integrated into the slope, with only the essential mass of the living spaces protruding above the terrain. These spaces are oriented towards the valley and provide breathtaking views. The garden has also been designed with respect for nature – there is minimal hard landscaping here.

The desire to inhabit the landscape

The extensive research conducted by the architects focused on interpreting traditional architecture, resulting in the selection of a rectangular mass with a sloping roof, clad in raw larch boards and stripped of unnecessary decorative elements. In the case of the layout, the architects decided to abandon traditional principles. The size and arrangement of the rooms no longer correspond to historical customs. The typical need to build a residence as protection against harsh weather has changed – today, the clients' desire is to inhabit the landscape, enjoy the sun, and open themselves to nature. All the windows are oriented towards the valley – the house is closed off on the other sides to avoid visual contact with neighbors.

Natural light revealing the beauty of wood

The heart of the house is a generous living room, also oriented towards the unique panorama. The overhanging roof protects the interior space from overheating. The loggia effectively extends to the terrace protruding from the main volume of the house. The fully glazed facade frames the landscape like a painting, while VELUX skylights compensate for the loss of light caused by the loggia's shading. "Natural light is crucial for us, especially when it comes to reviving the interior or creating a hierarchy of rooms. Natural light allows us to reveal the beauty of wood, stone, or any other material used," explains the project's architect.

The main living area is open to the ridge of the roof, allowing for a visual connection with the sleeping floor. The panoramic staircase and a series of smaller openings along the northern facade connect all three height levels of the interior and help perceive the space as a whole.

In contrast to the open areas of the day section, there are six functionally and cozily furnished bedrooms, each with its own bathroom and walk-in closet. Those on the upper floor under the sloping roof are illuminated from above, using skylights. Their area and placement allow for views into the valley, while smaller windows in the bathrooms are positioned higher to ensure privacy. "The client perfectly understood the unique beauty of light coming from above, our effort to illuminate the room from its highest point, reflect light from the walls, and brighten the ceiling throughout its height," says Domenico Benetti, adding with a smile: "He even suggested more skylights, but there was no room left for them."

Fireplace, hybrid boiler, and gas

The dominant material of the entire structure is undoubtedly wood, in all its forms: outside raw and sun-bleached, inside naturally honey-colored, contrasting with the gray concrete walls of the bathrooms and large glazed areas. The cozy home environment is complemented by colorful modern furniture.

Inside the house, there is a fireplace, which, along with gas and a hybrid boiler powered by a heat pump, heats the building. Photovoltaic panels on the roof provide users with greater independence from external energy suppliers. The structure of the building is reinforced concrete, and the outer walls are filled with thermal insulation bricks. The sufficiently insulated roof is covered with metal sheeting. The entire house is clad in larch boards to further emphasize the connection between the substantial structure and the surrounding nature.


Weekend house in Roana
Location: Roana, Italy
Architects: Benetti Grigolo Architetti
Completion: 2019
Photo: Andrea Segliani

www.velux.cz