MAJC House by ARKDD
MAJC House rests in the gently rolling moraines of Soiano, Italy, as a single-family house by ARKDD that turns constraint into quiet clarity. The residence and its annex open toward a protected landscape, where glass, timber, and stone keep close company with the earth. Within this calibrated setting, structure, material, and light work together to frame daily life at a measured, unhurried pace.
A low silhouette sits against the Garda moraines as morning light moves across earth-toned walls and sage-green screens. Inside, a long glazed room pulls the view inward and outward, so the eye keeps returning to the surrounding vegetation.
This single-family house in Soiano, with annex and pool, is conceived by ARKDD as a measured residence that never competes with its site. The project threads a path between stringent landscape regulations and the desire for openness, relying on structural clarity rather than formal spectacle. At its core is a hybrid construction that balances concrete, timber, and steel to handle complex geometry while keeping the atmosphere calm and restrained.
Glazed Living Volume
The main living area reads as a transparent volume drawn close to the ground, with generous panes of glass dissolving the boundary between interior and garden. Large openings slide back, so movement from sitting room to terrace feels like a single continuous gesture along the landscape. Earth-toned walls and sage-green brise-soleil register the presence of nearby vegetation, filtering light into quiet bands and soft shadows. This long room becomes the hinge between domestic routines and the wider terrain, always orienting daily life toward the morainic horizon.
Material Order And Ground
Underfoot, large-format porcelain stoneware alternates with oak planks laid lengthwise, pulling the eye through the house in a calm, linear rhythm. The combination of cool, dense slabs and warmer timber sets up a clear reading of served and servant areas while avoiding any sense of display. Along the partially buried portions, Credaro stone and scratched exterior renders anchor the building to the ground, giving the lower levels a tactile contact with the earth. Inside and along exterior walkways, this restrained material palette allows the structure and landscape to carry the visual weight.
Hybrid Frame In Section
Below grade, reinforced concrete forms the base, with a slab foundation and a network of walls and columns managing significant spans with controlled thickness. This heavy podium handles soil pressure and structural loads so the upper volumes can remain lighter and more open. Above, a hybrid system pairs timber with steel, aligning the warmth of wood construction with the strength and precision of metal. Steel members hidden within timber elements resolve demanding geometries, including cantilevers that extend beyond five metres while preserving the quiet, composed outline of the house.
Envelope, Comfort, And Restraint
Around this structural core, a carefully detailed envelope removes thermal bridges and wraps the rooms in airtight construction tuned for performance. High-performance glazing and brise-soleil, sized through dynamic simulation, manage solar gain so the glazed living area remains habitable through changing seasons. Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, paired with low-induction radiant conditioning and dehumidification, keeps temperature and air quality steady without visual intrusion. Finishes in service rooms share the same measured character, refined yet quiet, while furnishings are pared back to leave sightlines open and the landscape constantly present.
Collaborative Build Process
Terrain configuration and landscape constraints demanded targeted structural responses and close coordination between all parties on site. Designers, consultants, contractors, and client worked in continuous dialogue, adjusting details as challenges emerged from geometry, spans, and below-grade conditions. Each adjustment stayed within the project’s calm architectural language, turning technical obstacles into chances to refine junctions and assemblies. The built result reflects that shared authorship, where structural decisions, environmental performance, and visual restraint align in a coherent whole.
As day slows, the glazed living room picks up the last tones of the sky while the Credaro stone darkens along the planted edges. The house withdraws slightly from view, its structure working quietly behind timber and glass. In this measured balance of ground, frame, and light, MAJC House holds to its role as a discreet, low-impact retreat for unhurried living.
Photography by Filippo Poli
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