Project
Vittorio Grassi Architects
Client
Private
Geologist
Gian Franco Ruffini
Period
2006 Preliminary Design
2008 Start Construction
2009 Completion First Phase
2011 Completion Second Phase
Gross Floor Area
410 sqm
Site Area
40.000 sqm
Landscape Design
Erika Skabar
Structural Design
Massimiliano Fantacci
M&E Engineer
MPS Engineering Plant
Agronomist
Alessandro Salatino
Site Manager
Geom. Alessandro Pecchioni
Photographer
Adriano Pecchio
The property, an ancient Tuscan farmhouse whose original core dates back to 1712, is located near Casale Marittimo, a small village in the Alta Maremma approximately 10 kilometers from the sea.
The project fits within the context of contemporary residential architecture, with the aim of integrating minimal and respectful interventions into a landscape rich in nature, history, and tradition.
The challenge consisted in introducing contemporary architectural elements without altering the identity of the place.
The solution adopted was to preserve the vernacular Maremman architecture, using local eco-sustainable construction technologies and materials for the external envelope, combined with a minimal design and essential, clean interiors. The contribution of local craftsmen during construction was fundamental in integrating the building into the landscape and respecting the area’s building traditions.
The objective was achieved through the use of typical construction elements, such as stone masonry, and through the recovery of recycled materials—including chestnut wood, antique bricks, and terracotta roof tiles—sourced from the demolition of ruins in the surrounding countryside. This approach reinforces the principles of eco-sustainability and enhances a building culture based on reuse and continuity with the landscape.
The project also focuses on recovering the characteristics of the traditional landscape, enhancing the sea view and replacing non-native vegetation with an olive grove, Mediterranean shrubs, fruit trees, and a vineyard, in line with an integrated vision of architectural masterplanning and sustainable land management.
The energy strategy is guided by the use of renewable energy, the improvement of living comfort, operational safety, and cost reduction. The energy produced by the passive system with solar panels and geothermal heat pumps covers about 70% of the building’s and swimming pool’s total energy demand, configuring the intervention as a virtuous example of sustainable construction applicable also to contemporary public residential building models.
