All old houses have a soul

One of my greatest passions is to restore dignity to a neglected or dilapidated old house. At my eyes, they are jewels that need to be enhanced with wisdom, consistency and respect. I am happy to be the architect of this marvellous transformation.

The client was supported in the search for a suitable property, in the planning and selection of suitable labour right through to the handover of the renovated property.

In this case, the satisfaction was as great as the initial problems with the different floor levels, the low natural light and the narrow corridor full of doors. The obstacles were not minor, not least because of local regulations that prohibited changes to the façade and prevented the windows from being enlarged and remodelled, an entrance that was practically in the kitchen, and the client’s desire for underfloor heating and the installation of some rather bulky pieces of furniture.

I therefore searched carefully for innovative, high-performance and “lean” materials, and this search paid off.

The intervention was also radical in order to restore the coherence of the building. Thus, the floor and some walls were completely removed, the plaster was peeled off and then a plaster was applied to blend in with the underlying stone, and the vaults and stone walls, which were previously hidden, were enhanced.

Then I had fun playing with the minds of those who cross the threshold of the house, confusing them with a play of lights, glass and mirrors that also have the task of transmitting and capturing the natural light and diffusing it as much as possible in the house.

I paid particular attention to the study of lighting (lighting design).

Duration of the work: 3 months thanks to careful and precise planning.