On Lake Garda’s shores, many stories absorbed by the places and architectures surrounding it intertwine. Lake Garda’s shores offer architectures that recall the nights of yesteryear: the Grand Hotel, which rose to literary immortality thanks to Stefan Zweig’s short story “Untergang eines Herzens”, the cocktail bar where Winston Churchill used to rest after painting, the park of the Savoy Hotel where around the early 1900’s noble guests from Russia and Sweden used to dance every night accompanied by the music of a large orchestra. And let’s not forget the Vittoriale, which Gabriele d’Annunzio started to build in 1921 with the help of architect Gian Carlo Maron.

When thinking of building a new home, this green environment and the history one covers to get here immediately came to mind. The house is located on a slope from which one can see the lake. Originally, it was an old lemon house like many others in the area, but its outdated structure forced the owners to take the sad decision of tearing it down completely.

The result is a modern lemon house. There is a double-volume colonnaded patio on the southwest side of the house whose reinforced concrete columns are covered in natural stone. The beige-coloured natural stone also covers the entire exterior, including the driveway, the steps leading to the house, the edge and the inside of the swimming pool. The various parts are recognizable only by the different styles of the architects and the diversity of the surface processing in accordance with the functional areas.

Large windows open onto the double volume living and dining area. The central fireplace delimits the entrance with its wall while a sliding glass door opens onto the kitchen, where the Venetian-style flooring enhances the white furnishings and black stone top. The flooring on the ground floor is made of woven walnut wood, while the upper floor boasts regular slats that simulate a boat deck. The black slate staircase firmly separates these two environments.

The master bedroom is an open space divided by a decorative wall that separates the sleeping area from the room’s private bathroom. The wall is made of blades in walnut wood interspersed with “parallelepipeds” made of plexiglass, allowing the light to filter through from one area to another, producing plays of colour. The other key element in the house is the gym, which is separated from the sleeping area by a “glass” walkaway where one doesn’t perceive the limit of the big room directly facing the double volume and opening onto a terrace overlooking the valley and the lake.

The house oozes conviviality and family time. Inside, there are both a hall for “family dinners” equipped with a second kitchen and fireplace and a cellar with a Risiko! table to host friends, as well as a small spa area accessible directly from outside, consisting of a sauna, a Turkish bath and a chromotherapy shower.

The materials blend local culture and modern design: floors and furnishings are in natural walnut wood as the chairs and the table in the dining area, Skin-effect lacquer finish (a patent by Boffi kitchens), custom-made glossy and matt lacquers, concrete wall finishes, stone washbasins. Almost all furnishings are made to measure for the house.

Talking about dstudiod

Dstudiod is a multidisciplinary architecture firm started by architects Cristina Amenta, Simona Bruzzi and Mara Pasquini. It was founded in 2007, with offices in Florence and Bologna. The passion for interior design leads the firm to specialize in the contract and retail sectors. Projects include wellness centres, residences, hotels, but above all, trade fairs and flagship stores. The latter represents a significant segment of the firm’s work from 2007 to 2011 when it carries out Project Management activities for a well-known Arab ceramic brand, Cleopatra Ceramica. The team redesigns its corporate image with a series of flagship stores in various locations in Cairo and Alexandria, takes care of the design for national and international trade fairs, and leads its advertising department. Dstudiod is now entering its next chapter since the three founders have specialized in different sectors, although they’ve continued to collaborate. Cristina Amenta has specialized in the planning and management of cultural events and the design of urban spaces for visually impaired people. Simona Bruzzi continues working in the contract and retail sector and also collaborates with renowned manufacturers. Mara Pasquini now works in Public Relations and Publishing, always focusing on architecture and interior design.

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