Project: 2018 – 2020
Photographs: Marcelo Villada Ortiz
Client: Private
Architect: enrico sassi sagl
Works management: enrico sassi sagl
Collaborators: Roberta Blasi
Civil engineer: Brenni Engineering SA
RVCS engineer: F.lli Branca SA
Construction physicist: Think Exergy SA
Construction company: Fossati SA
Carpenter: F.lli Colombo sagl
Waterproofing: Stelio Conconi SA
Scaffolding: New Jet Scaffolding sagl
Self-supporting insulated facades: Knauf AG, ing. M. Bottinelli
Electrician: Sulmoni Daniele SA
Doors and windows: Pirmin Murer SA
Plasterer: Michele Vodola
Blacksmith: Damiano Petraglio Blacksmith Metallbau sagl

A low-angle shot of the front of a house, with its distinctive roof design, shows off unique features. — A low-angle shot of the front of unit, with its distinctive roof design, shows off unique features.

A shot of the back of the house, showing its balcony overlooking a courtyard.

Shot in the evening with the lights on in the first and second levels of the building, which made it possible to see the different sections of the house.

A pair of rafters supports the pitch of the roof, which is attached to a structural beam.

A close-up of a roof made of exposed wooden beams.

Here is an image of part of the balcony at Nuova Casa Nucleo Coldrerio, which overlooks other buildings.

Here is a picture of Nuova Casa Nucleo Coldrerio, taken at sundown with lights on.

A low angle shot of the back of the house showing its unique roof design, with the sun's rays streaming in through the balcony window. — A low angle shot of the back of the house showing its unique roof design, with the sun’s rays streaming in through the balcony window.

A second angle shot of the back of the unit, showing off its facade wall.

A low-angle shot of Nuova Casa Nucleo Coldrerio, with lights on in both the first and second floor.

In this sunset photo of Nouva Casa Nucleo Coldrerio, you can see the staircase while lights are on in both levels.

A night shot at the back of the unit shows the balcony and structural beam.

In this low-angle shot you can see the side of the building and its wall facade, as well as a dark vertical window while lights are on.

A low angle shot of the side of the unit shows the wall facade, along with the gravel yard.

The border of this window displays the aggregate of different sizes of the grains.

Close shot of the edge of the unit which shows aggregates of different-sized grains.

There is an opened roof with a small square in the ceiling, allowing natural light to come in.

Site plan of Nuova Casa Nucleo Coldrerio

Longitudinal Section of Nuova Casa Nucleo Coldrerio

South elevation of Nuova Casa Nucleo Coldrerio

West elevation of Nuova Casa Nucleo Coldrerio

North elevation of Nuova Casa Nucleo Coldrerio

Ground floor plan of Nuova Casa Nucleo Coldrerio

Second floor plan of Nuova Casa Nucleo Coldrerio

The building is a single-family house on four levels, is located within the historical area of the municipality of Coldrerio and overlooks a courtyard. Its architectural expression responds to the regulations applied to buildings in this area, in particular the roof, which must be pitched; the shape and type of the windows that must be of vertical proportions and must darkened by shutters; the coating materials, which must be mineral.

The building has the same volume as the previous building which was in poor condition and was demolished; it is built in contiguity with another building, with which it shares the border wall. The building occupies the entire width of the lot which is quite small (4.50 x 9.53 m) and occupies a total area of 43 m2.

The ground floor overlooking the courtyard is blind while it has a terrace on the first floor, which enjoys optimal sunshine. Entering the courtyard, the corner of the house presents itself as pivotal element of this void space.

The pitch of the roof that covers the space of the terrace is not supported by a corner pillar and appears to be suspended. The absence of the corner pillar underlines and enhances the excavated volume of the terrace. The pitch of the roof is supported by a beam which hangs from a large structural beam, the head of which is divided into two smaller sections that give rise to the characteristic twin rhythm of the secondary beams.

To optimize the available surface, the perimetral walls are made with the system called “cocoon”, developed by the Knauf company. This construction system makes it possible to create insulated load-bearing walls that are only 26 centimeters thick. The facades made with the Knauf Cocoon system are load-bearing for the wooden roof.

For the finish of the facade, a layer of premixed plaster was applied which was treated in a special way to give it an appearance as similar as possible to the historical plaster, in which the aggregates of different grain size and color are visible.

The ground floor entrance opens onto the open kitchen and living room. In the center are the stairs leading to the rooms. The first floor houses a double bedroom facing north, a bathroom and an atrium with wardrobe, a balcony overlooking the common courtyard. The second floor (attic) houses a bedroom, a bathroom and an atrium with wardrobe.