Retreat in the Heart of the Dolomites
Retreat in the Heart of the Dolomites is a two-level retreat in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, by Parisotto+Formenton Architetti. Set within a historic ciasa, the project balances local building heritage with a quietly contemporary interior palette shaped by wood, light, and crafted pieces. The result reads as a measured Alpine home, made for unhurried days and clear mountain air.
Low sun rakes the plaster base while the timber upper warms to amber. A simple volume holds close to the slope, its entries keyed to grade and meadow.
This retreat in Cortina d’Ampezzo by Parisotto+Formenton Architetti occupies part of a historic ciasa, the traditional Ladin farmhouse. The team keeps the old order legible and steers the experience through materials and furnishings, using wood, stone, and a handful of crafted pieces to tune mood and daily life.
Three woods set the tone: light oak, dark oak, and fir. Grain carries from floor to wall, then quiets at thresholds where plaster returns and the hand feels cooler. The palette never shouts. It does the work of framing view, tempering daylight, and setting a calm register for conversation and rest.
Layer Wood Tones
The upper level reads in timber while the base remains in plaster, a familiar Alpine assembly that grounds the house. Inside, light oak boards run long, with darker oak used to anchor built-ins and moments of emphasis. Fir surfaces soften edges at doors and junctions, their paler figure catching light and easing transitions. Underfoot, warmth is literal and visual, drawing movement toward the living core.
Furnish the Hearth
Kitchen, sitting room, and dining gather as one volume around a brushed wood fireplace—the domestic fulcrum when snow buries the fields. A True Design dining table by the architects sets a clean line, paired with Carlo Scarpa chairs for Bernini and a Time & Style lamp above. Rugs by Faye Toogood for cc-tapis soften the walk; Cassina’s Capitol Complex armchairs converse with a custom sofa, while art by Paolo Canevari and Mario Schifano adds a quiet pulse.
Flow Into Meadow
The interior follows the natural slope, with more than one entry to keep movement easy. One path steps to the lower level; another climbs by stair and opens straight to the wide green in front, placing the day room in active dialogue with the meadow. Former stable and tool rooms now take generous daylight through new and renewed windows, trading storage for layered views and air.
Quiet Room Rituals
In the main bedroom, wood floors and a sliding panel wall create a close, composed rhythm. A material screen, a contemporary reading of the shōji, orders bed, dressing, and bath without weight. The adjoining bathroom carries stone to sink and shower, keeping touch points cool and precise. Lighting stays low and warm, with Time & Style lamps adding a small glow where needed (and never more).
Tradition, Kept Current
Outside, the familiar split of timber above and plaster below ties the house to its neighbors and past. Inside, the palette does the binding: local materials, measured craft, and pieces chosen for use rather than show. As daylight moves and the fire drops to coals, the rooms hold steady, carrying Alpine memory into present tense.
Photography by Giulio Ghirardi
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