Le Fornaci
Type Residential
Location Bellegra, Italy
Client Private Client
Year Ongoing

The project is for the redevelopment of a countryside building which has been abandoned for several years. The building was originally part of a furnace complex and used as a temporary accommodation for the staff, as a school and place of training.
As the structure was severely compromised, the existing roof and walls had to be partially demolished. The new building fully respects the original floor plan in order to re-use part of the existing structure and foundations.
The proposal focuses on the characterization of the main elevation of the cottage, by opening up the entire wall of the living room toward a large terrace, eliminating the barrier between inside and outside, inviting the view to become integral part of the internal environment.
The new window layout follows the slope of the pitched roof and frames the view toward the natural landscape.
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The interior is made cozy by a large local stone fireplace finished with re-used timber elements, previously belonged to the roof structure of the existing building.
A functional and innovative solution maximises the space on the top floor, where the bed and the wardrobe have been integrated to the surrounding masonry walls.
Special attention has been paid to the materials used for the finishes. A range of local materials confere strong and different identities to the bathrooms, whilst the kitchenette has been fitted with bespoke joinery items and handmade tiles decorated with olive leaves are inspired by the surrounding vegetation.
The kitchenette and living room finishes are in continuity with each other, to establish a visual relationship between the two spaces and to respond to a contemporary need of integrating the kitchen use into the main house activities.