From the natural topography of the slope rises a simply cut monolith in washed concrete, which is docked directly to the road. Two cars are parked directly on its roof, as it were. a straight entrance alley leads the visitor down to the entrance gate. Behind the wooden gate, the entrance courtyard opens. Through this courtyard you enter the house on the top floor and are welcomed in the kitchen-living room with a long dining table and open fireplace. As soon as you enter, the room opens up to the landscape, Lake Maggiore and the mountains. The front door and the glass front facing the courtyard can be completely recessed into the wall, so that in summer the courtyard and interior merge into a single spatial continuum. Elevator and stairs lead to the lower floors.
The floor below houses the second, slightly larger living level with living room, fireplace, library and TV, as well as a covered outdoor space and a two-storey courtyard with natural stone paving, two olive trees and a babbling fountain. By means of glass fronts facing the courtyard that can also be completely retracted into the wall and a generous side opening, the entire floor is experienced as a single spatial whole, outside and inside, landscape and architecture combine to form a whole, the interior participates in the courtyard, just as the courtyard participates in the landscape through charming views. The courtyard can be closed off by two wooden gate gates, which gives it a special sense of security.
This courtyard forms the heart of the house, different paths come together here, as if paths meet in the village square. On both sides of the courtyard, paths and stairs lead down to the large garden terrace with swimming pool and outdoor kitchen. The two other basement floors house three bedrooms and bathrooms, as well as a fitness room and sauna, and are also connected to the courtyard, garden and swimming pool via their own exits.
Due to its spatial diversity, exciting relationships between interior and exterior spaces, diverse freedom of choice of path, the house is experienced as a small village in the former vineyard above Lake Maggiore.
[Source: www.wdmra.ch] (http://www.wdmra.ch/showPage.php?template=opere&id=85)
[Photos: Hannes Henz architectural photographer, Zurich] (https://www.hanneshenz.ch)
