C’era una Volta

Located on the main floor of a mid-19th-century building, the apartment consisted of a series of highly fragmented rooms built at different times. The project aimed to restore certain surviving elements of the original structure, highlighting them in a way that reconciles the challenging relationship between the functions of contemporary living and the existing historical fabric. The large structural vault, measuring 5.5 m by 8.5 m, was completely stripped of a series of false ceilings that had accumulated over time, revealing some frescoed sections.
The living area and the sleeping area are separated by a simple translucent polycarbonate partition that allows the entire enclosed volume of the apartment to be taken in at a glance. The door frames are aligned according to the home’s original layout, emphasizing its historic, stately character, with rooms flowing seamlessly into one another without the use of hallways. All the utility spaces have been housed in a functional volume set back from the vaulted ceiling. It contains the entrance to the home, the bathroom, the kitchen, and the walk-in closet.
The utility space appears as a pure, white volume, standing in stark contrast to the opulence and vibrancy of the ceiling fresco. The old and the new thus interact through contrast; each element reflects the era and the client to whom it belongs. For this reason, all the spaces within the building—such as the bathroom and the kitchen—are characterized by a strict minimalism.

Location
Turin

Year
2019

Typology
Residential

Area
60 m²

Status
Completed