Casa MC Renovates 1980s Home Inside Leafy Italian Forest

Casa MC, located in Preganziol, Italy, underwent a renovation and expansion, transforming a villa and its adjacent storage unit situated in a dense forest of hornbeams and maples.

The renovation of the property, designed by ANK architects, aimed to create a stronger connection with the external surroundings by replacing small windows and opaque walls with large glazed surfaces.

These expansive windows replace the walls of several rooms, allowing the garden to become an integral part of the kitchen, living room, and reception area. A glass prism, acting as the primary access point to the house, bridges the villa and the storage unit.

In reimagining the storage unit, the existing structural system of wooden beams was preserved, running the length of the hipped roof and resting on the floor without vertical supports. Copper cladding extends to cover the overhanging roof, supported by a system of wooden beams.

The villa’s interior furnishing creates a homogenous monochrome created using complementary materials like grey microcement flooring and natural wood, serving as a backdrop for different textured accents such as a steel kitchen island.

A double-height oak bookcase turns into a light well, creating soft lighting and emphasizing the ample space within the living room.

The storage unit’s facade is clad in vertically elongated bricks that create shadows on the exterior.

Differently textured bricks are also used to create contemporary jasper stonework characteristic of historic Venetian buildings, lining the garage door and creating more privacy in the more intimate rooms while still allowing external views.

The Secco Sistemi fixtures also play a major role in the project’s design. The thin windows, made of dark-toned painted galvanized steel, frame constantly changing views throughout the day and in different seasons.

The unit thus contrasts with the delicate tones of the furniture and surfaces surrounding the building.