Project
Vittorio Grassi Architects
Client
Private
Geologist
Gian Franco Ruffini
Period
2006 Preliminary Design
2008 Start Construction
2009 Completion First Phase
2011 Completion Second Phase
Gross Floor Area
410 sqm
Site Area
40.000 sqm
Landscape Design
Erika Skabar
Structural Design
Massimiliano Fantacci
M&E Engineer
MPS Engineering Plant
Agronomist
Alessandro Salatino
Site Manager
Geom. Alessandro Pecchioni
Photographer
Adriano Pecchio
The property, an antique Tuscan farm whose original nucleus dates back to 1712, lies near Casale Marittimo, a small town of the Alta Maremma, located 10 km inland from the sea.
The challenge was to introduce and involve minimal and contemporary architectural elements in an environment rich in nature and tradition. The solution adopted to achieve this objective has been to maintain as much as possible the vernacular architecture of Maremma using local technologies and materials for the external envelope, juxtaposing minimal design and clean interiors.
The help of local workers during the construction phase has been crucial for plugging the building in the landscape and environment context and to respect local architectural traditions.
Actually the goal has been achieved by using typical local construction elements such as stone masonry, but also through the research and use of recycled materials, such as chestnut wood, old bricks and terracotta roof tiles, taken from demolition of ruins in the surrounding countryside.
The project focuses also on recovering the main features of the traditional landscape, encouraging the view to the sea and replacing the allochthonous vegetation with an olive grove, Mediterranean shrubs, fruit trees and a vineyard.
The energy strategy has guided by the use of renewable energy sources, comfort, management safety and cost saving.
The free energy produced by the passive system with solar panels and geothermal heat pumps provides about 70% of the total energy needs for the building and the swimming pool.
