house af – lessona IT

For Federico Delrosso, this old farmhouse, built in 1840 by Giovanni Antonio Sella on the hills of Biella in Lessona, proved an excellent opportunity to use his contemporary style, founded in the blending of various materials, to renovate a historic structure while maintaining its architectural past.
The current owners, who purchased the property from the original owners in 1998, put their faith in an architectural project centered on the exacting shapes and advanced materials that characterize not only the structural elements of the building but also the furniture, tailor-made and designed by Delrosso himself. In the yard, the most obvious change is the large galvanized iron structure that serves as a covering. An extension of the villa to the exterior, it foretells the architectural solutions used on the interior, characterized by orthogonal planes and lines and a clear, minimal formality.
A two-story structure with a loft, the design project for the new home focused on the current owner’s needs as well as the desire to maintain the building’s original structure. Dominating the layout and seemingly honoring the past, the original arches and seven buildings have been unburdened of their imposing quality through the use of white, which also characterizes the plaster on the walls. White also reigns in the Corian coverings of the kitchen, the curved plywood used in some of the chairs and the polycarbonate panels in the bathrooms. The materials used for the stairway, which unites the three floors, reflect a real and conceptual approach that centers on a shift in perception, moving from the solid concrete on the first floor to the transparency of glass on the upper floor. Large windows throughout the home allow the flow of natural light affording a view over the village below. Enriching the natural light, the tones of artificial lighting were specifically chosen to create a warm ambience. Concealed beneath beams, they emphasize the shape of the arches, extending to the high ceilings.

total area: 420 mq + 140 mq terrazzo
photo credits: Matteo Piazza