a former warehouse becomes a home by deltastudio entitled 'elena'

italian architecture practice deltastudio introduces ‘elena,’ a breezy repurposed residence surrounded by a centuries-old chestnut grove and a sweeping view over the town of caprarola. with the project, captured by simone bossi, the design team works with a young couple client to revitalize a derelict agricultural warehouse. the growing family seeks new spaces — those for the family, and those more intimate for the couple. the preexisting structure, programmed for agriculture, is comprised of a rough volume articulated on two levels — a warehouse in the basement and laboratory on the upper floor. these two levels are joined by a large exterior stair open on either side. the starting point of the project is an artifact that is anything but organic, seeking an integration with its context.

all images by simone bossi

to unite landscape and architecture, deltastudio rewrites the context within which ‘elena’ is designed. the revitalization comprises the introduction of openings, closings, and new volumes. outside, the design approach becomes compositional as a metal structure wraps the house like a grid. horizontal and vertical elements frame views, define spaces, perform the functions of shading during the day and those of lighting in the evening. this element introduces a device which is as functional as it is aesthetic, rewriting prospects and relationships between solids and voids.

deltastudio’s compositional design strategy continues within the interior of ‘elena,’ with wide, minimal spaces that open outward to the landscape. the living area follows the trajectory of the sun with large, sweeping windows. the sleeping area, facing the countryside, investigates a more intimate relationship between its occupants and the natural context with a succession of smaller openings which capture and frame different details of the landscape surrounding the house. smooth, horizontal surfaces infuse in the interior with a natural continuity interrupted only by the large wooden block that separates the program. natural light enhances the sculptural materiality of the simple and bright furniture elements, a synthesis of a rediscovered harmony between architecture and context.