The sun even at night
Project Pescia
A small village in Valdinievole, in the heart of Tuscany, a medieval castle set like a jewel in a hill covered with olive trees. It is in this enchanting setting, a territory that belonged to the Etruscans and other ancient populations, that a Tuscan-Lombard family chose to build a Rubner wooden house. It is a truly special building, an eco-sustainable house with original architecture and a distinctive concept that underlies it.
It develops over three floors, with a layout of the rooms designed to receive as much sunlight as possible, especially in the morning, and the gorgeous landscape of the hills. But the layout also recalls the principles of fengshui, the ancient discipline based on Chinese philosophy, according to which natural events and elements are related to vital energy, "Qi".
And so the position of the rooms, as well as the furniture, colors and materials are designed to affect the well-being of those who live there. The interior spaces, characterized by large windows, are bright, open and private at the same time: the very bright attic certainly stands out, and it can be reached via a spiral staircase manufactured by carpenters’ artists, longtime trusted collaborators of Rubner. Large windows that open the wall revealing the colors of nature, glass ceiling through which the sky appears like a fresco that changes from hour to hour:
it is an eclectic area, ideal for relaxing, absorbing the benefits of the sun's rays, and at the same time it can become a perfect annex for guests. And it also hides a real treasure: a solar greenhouse that collects heat all year round and returns it, shielded in summer, to all the rooms of the building. It is a house that realizes an ideal through a vertical path of discovery as an inner growth that unites the history that has made this place great with the love and respect for sustainable living.
Project details
Location Pescia, Tuscany
Construction system Timber frame
Architect Arch. Fortunato Fognani
Living space 232+157+42m²
«Before the projects with Rubner in Casentino, I had always worked not leaving Tuscan vernacular architecture, which mainly uses brick. Rediscovering the immense potential of wooden construction was very satisfying and allowed me to design a contemporary architecture, in harmony with Nature».