Home in Bailucchi by llabb
Home in Bailucchi anchors a two-level apartment on Genoa, Italy’s highest historic hill, where the city’s first stronghold once stood. Designed by llabb, the residence unites two former units into a split-life arrangement with sleeping rooms below and an attic-like living level above, tuned to sea light and port views. It’s a home that doubles as a lived-in gallery, shaped around daily rhythms and a clear sequence.
Sea light skims the floorboards and lands on whitewashed walls before slipping out to the terrace. From the hill, the cranes and cargo choreography read as a constant horizon.
This is a two-level apartment in Genoa by llabb, with bedrooms below and a setback attic living level above. The project centers on movement and sightlines: a crafted stair, cut-through openings, and an L-shaped plan that redirects views between city and port.
Climb the Core
A couple of low steps rise to a concrete platform, the first landing in a compact vertical journey. From that solid base, a light metal stair threads upward to the upper floor, its oak treads catching the glow of concealed ambient lighting tucked beneath a handrail. The blue nautical rope handrail gives grip and pace—one vivid line that guides the body and marks the route. As a vertical element, the stair becomes a visual anchor around which daily life circulates.
Center the Landing
The stair arrives precisely at the middle of the long living level, splitting the room into clear zones without doors. To the left, dining draws toward conversation and evening meals near the terrace edge; to the right, a reading nook and living room gather softer light. A small door leads to the studiolo, a tiny room that pushes out over the void with a square window reminiscent of a crane cockpit—one focused frame for the port’s constant buzz.
Cut and Reveal
Geometric openings slice through masonry walls to carry sightlines and curiosity forward. A glance catches the kitchen, the studiolo, or a painting captioned like in a compact gallery (the owner is a gallerist). The L-shaped plan and a sloping roof sharpen angles and shadows, setting up a sequence of backdrops that shift as one moves and turns. Each cutout choreographs the next move, so rooms read as linked episodes rather than sealed compartments.
Live With the Terrace
The entire living level shares a long terrace, sheltered from north winds and open to Castello’s hill on one side and the commercial port on the other. City clamor fades at this height; the hum of machinery and cranes sets a steadier tempo. Morning light pours in for breakfast; by late day, the terrace stretches dinner and conversation into the salt air.
Keep What Matters
Downstairs, original Genoese terrazzo floors ground the sleeping rooms with durable pattern and cool touch. In the main bedroom, wallpaper came off and the smoothed plaster—its layered colors and old inscriptions—was stabilized rather than erased. Throughout, material edits stay precise, letting circulation, views, and lived-in art define the character.
At dusk, the stair’s glow traces a gentle line, and the terrace picks up the last reflection off the sea. The project closes the loop between movement and outlook, holding the city’s working port in daily view.
Photography by Anna Positano | Studio Campo
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