04/03/2014 – In the countryside, L. A. Modern is a Villa of about 500 square meters, designed by Carlo Donati Studio on a large south-facing plot, mostly closed to the outside yet open inward.
The architectural language recalls the modernist lines and atmosphere of villas by Neutra, Frey, and Lautner in Palm Springs, reinterpreted through contemporary materials within a decidedly traditional rural context.
The heart of the house is the garden, framed by the three volumes of the villa and the outdoor pool. These three structures define the central courtyard and host different functions. The two-level volume is dedicated to the guest sleeping area, with bedrooms on the first floor and the spa on the ground floor.
The large living room occupies the central position. It is double-height and overlooked by a roof-level lounge and study.
The kitchen is designed as a low volume with a broad canopy toward the swimming pool and a circular opening that connects the cork-covered farmyard with the house.
The facades are generously glazed toward the inside of the plot, creating continuous cross-references of perspectives and views, while remaining strongly closed toward the outside boundary.
The range of materials and colors is central to the project. Outside, the house combines white plaster, Cor-Ten steel, and wood. Cor-Ten steel is used in large sheets to clad the kitchen, the ground-floor guest area, and the wellness area visible from the master bedroom; it is also used as an inclined closure for the living space. Circular perforations of varying sizes cut through the Cor-Ten on the ground floor and light the relaxation and wellness route. Vertical wooden slats cover part of the living area and the entire first-floor sleeping area. The metal elements work as a compositional device, using color, height changes, and the play of solid and void. The same wood cladding is also used along all the external paths.
miranda_shida
Anna Lohan
Theresa V. Adams
Peter Dark
