Ignazio Mortellaro has transformed a 300-year-old Sicilian farmhouse into a sustainable, energy-efficient retreat called Casa Balat. Located in Noto, Italy, the project seamlessly integrates traditional materials with state-of-the-art green technology, like a geothermal system for air conditioning and water heating.
Casa Balat features an open-air shala for yoga, a saltwater pool, gardens, and a Bulthaup kitchen, all designed to minimize carbon footprint while providing luxurious and sustainable agriturismo accommodations.
In 2024, Maria Adele Savioli Architettura revitalised an apartment in a historic 19th-century building in Rome, Italy. Casa Buonarroti‘s design highlights its generous heights and expansive windows, blending tradition with a functional contemporary vision. With bespoke elements like a wide iron portal and oak staircase, the project redefines the flat’s layout while preserving its historic essence, offering a refined interpretation of renovation.
SMA Architetti has completed the refurbishment of the Attic G-24 apartment in Varese, Italy. The project revised an existing, incomplete structure into a cohesive space defined by geometry and formal continuity.
The duplex-style design connects the levels with a striking staircase and features an interior filled with artisan materials and contemporary flourishes like inset lighting and slot windows. The top floor captures uninterrupted views across the long, narrow space, while the lower level perimeter is entirely utilised for key functions.
Italian design studio akt.studio transformed a compact apartment into a functional living space. Named Apartment 28, the 38-square-meter apartment balances elegance and efficiency through thoughtful material choices and innovative solutions, including glass blocks and stainless steel accents. Soft curves and polished floors create a harmonious flow, while furniture in peach and blue tones adds warmth and personality. The design showcases the potential to make limited spaces feel expansive and inviting.
The New Middle School in Puos d’Alpago, Italy, designed by Facchinelli Daboit Saviane in 2024, centers on a “covered square” concept. The structure’s volume is suspended on four colored concrete nuclei, creating a civic centre and offering extracurricular functions. A tree-lined pedestrian axis runs through the building, while classrooms and laboratories alternate on two floors around the central square, providing visual permeability and a cohesive internal landscape. The design utilises advanced prefabrication technologies for its exposed concrete shell.
The Home for an Artist in Cesena, Italy, was designed by Piraccini + Potente Architettura in 2019. The rural-inspired house combines contemporary vision with traditional forms. The house reflects the client’s aesthetic sensibilities, blending technology and art for a harmonious living environment.
Fulvio Giannotti reconfigured this Naples, Italy apartment to create a modern yet historically rich interior. Casa Piedigrotta spans 120 square meters and features restored moldings, neutral-toned kitchen with central island, and two balconies offering surrounding views.
Local studio Punto Zero incorporated areas of contrasting colors and materials throughout this apartment renovation in Rome, Italy. Designed in 2024, the project involved opening up the 1960s unit to create a more fluid and versatile space for its owners, a couple of art collectors.
