Formal cleanliness in architecture
Formal cleanliness in architecture-understood as the search for clarity in forms-has always borne very interesting fruit-in the past as well as in the present-with achievements that never tire of satisfying us even many years after construction-regardless of whether the buildings are classical or contemporary. The search for essentiality of line expressing itself as an aspiration for simplicity mixed with a sense of practical functionality is a key recipe for making buildings that will stand the test of time and remain admired many years after their construction. Very often people put into the home their need to be noticed or to appear. This is a common phenomenon everywhere in the Po Valley as well as in Hollywood suburbs. This often results in redundant decorative apparatus and architectural expressions that are lavish but empty of functionality, spaces wasted because they are not lived in and therefore sad. In contrast, the traditional house and in particular the old Venetian house-whose model was also exported to Dalmatia and Lombardy-was a house with simple and functional lines. Square or rectangular houses with little eave overhang, equipped with a brolo with a pleasant umbratile area for dining or conversing in the cool shade of a lime wall. The decorative apparatus was kept to a minimum unintentionally complying with the paradigm of contemporary architecture ‘ the less is more’ that outlawed decoration of buildings. For wooden houses -as well as for traditional masonry houses-the principle is always the same: simplicity and functionality pay off and make it possible to create functional, inexpensive and now also zero-impact buildings suitable for the family or single person, perfect for hosting and entertaining as well as for enjoying reading, a good movie or tending the garden.
The bathroom – the corner of taking care of yourself – but not only
For years now, the bathroom has no longer been simply the urbanized substitute for the latrine-the bathroom is now the place of ego pampering, the corner where one can freely celebrate oneself by taking care of oneself, a place of refuge, meditation and relaxation. Today the shower is all the rage in the hustle and bustle of today’s life, yet our showers are large, spacious and flush with the floor. We also love to make them warmer with the inclusion of a wooden landing and a dedicated space to wrap yourself in a warm, preheated bathrobe. Our preference is also a comfortable, relaxing tub. Maybe to be used once a week but where you can lazily soak in on winter evenings. Our tub also has a window to enjoy the view outside to relax after jogging and reading a book on Sundays. A highlight is the sink. Ceramica Flaminia made acquagrande a square sink inspired in design by criteria of formal cleanliness. Before Ceramiche Flaminia made it we made it ad hoc in corian or other materials. It is such a right sink that we have a hard time replacing it with other products. The sink is for looking at each other’s faces every day and reading teachings of time and for that loving each other a little more. Better to choose the right one then, perhaps with a warm and soothing wooden stand. Jacobsen’s faucets-unknown in Italy until a few years ago-Vola Taps are now copied by almost all Italian and other faucet manufacturers. Therefore we use the Italian Vola Taps that excellent but at a price more than halved compared to their Danish cousins and affordable a little for everyone. One thing we have never done in a bathroom is to put the toilet and bidet in front of the entrance door to the bathroom. We prefer to put the sink with the mirror and its light fixture in front of the entrance door. This is a choice that ensures that even a small bathroom benefits from an effect of perspective amplification and brightness that is very useful in emphasizing the quality of an otherwise limited space. The toilet-bidet pair then enjoys some advantages when placed in a niche.
Wood Forum in Riva del Garda
On February 26 and 27, 2020, an international event will be held in Riva del Garda in which builders, engineers and architects will participate. They will talk about climate emergency and how the use of wood in construction and architecture can positively influence it. From this link you can download the program: https://www.forum-legno.com/2_.php An opportunity not to be missed for those who want to learn more Professors who have contributed through the work of the University of Padua and Trent to place our region at the top in the field of wood structure design will speak. There will be speeches by designers who are bringing wood structures into the landscape of the most advanced metropolises. The wood revolution in architecture The wood revolution in architecture will be discussed. Not only is wood loved for the feeling it provides in homes, but it is also loved in the urban context. A wooden construction, even a multi-story building, is greeted by the neighborhood with pleasure, sympathy and admiration. Above all, building with wood involves the preservation, development and expansion of forests on our planet. The raw material of future housing is wood and it is taken from forests. The wood industry requires reforestation plans through which the planet is saved from the excessive carbon concertation it suffers from. Using wood is not only beautiful but also helpful in safeguarding future generations. Wood, the material of the future It is strange to think how today wood in all developed continents is emerging as the building material of the future. No one in the 1990s would have predicted this, and anyone even at the beginning of our century would have thought of our future as being populated by architecture that is very different from what is emerging. The goals of the developer and the designer have also changed greatly. The prospect of zero-consumption wood buildings and houses is now within reach and no longer an experimental frontier.
We make wooden houses from the design
Our difference from other providers of turnkey wooden houses is that we start with the project first. Our approach is that of an engineering company, in fact and our business is based on design and knowledge of materials and construction techniques. Our goal is to select and employ the best construction technique to achieve the best result in terms of: welfare; safety; Reduction of consumption; cost control. We, like other companies, also provide the integrated turnkey design and construction service but our characteristic is to start from the design because we are designers before we are carpenters. The fabrication of the panels and the assembly of the structures for us comes after the realization of a good design. Every business has its own story and we are from architectural and engineering backgrounds and the basis of our knowledge is technical and starts from drawing. At the base is a pencil drawing Through drawing we communicate emotions and build together with our client the basis for a dream to come true. Although we use very advanced methods of digitized design processing at an early stage of the project we like to sit at a small table with our client and let the ideas flow with pencil on paper. We are always very impressed with everyone’s ability to envision a project even on the basis of a few marks on paper. This was always the case even when complex projects were developed with charcoal and tablet. Even in the age of tablets our ability to mentally represent a project from a few pencil marks remained unchanged, and it is surprising how even the uninitiated always have this innate ability alive. Cost control Rightly, the client of a wooden house demands certainty of completion at a fixed cost before starting work so that he or she knows from the outset what sum is needed to complete the works. Of course we are happy to provide this service. In this, too, we start with the project. We believe that the project is the cornerstone of the path that leads to the construction and completion of a wooden house that fully fulfills the client’s expectations in terms of cost control. Only an accurate design allows us to ensure that all items of expenditure in the specifications of the work to be built are properly clarified, analyzed, shared and estimated. Although a wooden house is not a complex object compared to other creations of man it still remains a design issue that needs to be carefully defined since several dozen details and construction elements are afferent in it that need to be perfectly analyzed and clarified before starting work. Sharing an idea The success of a realization stems from a shared design idea between us and the future user of our project. Obviously, technical knowledge of wood is essential to avoid mistakes in the design and installation of structures but, the realization of a satisfactory project, comes from the analysis of decisive factors to be analyzed together by developing a range of options and analyzing pros and cons of multiple alternatives. The project is a journey through various stages Developing a new project is an important time in a person’s or family’s life. There are many ways to embark on this path. Some people who know exactly at the beginning what they want and what they like and dislike. Other people are more analytical and reflective and ask more questions. We are happy to work alongside both types of approaches by providing our expertise for advice and developing clear floor plans and graphic visualizations that consider various options. For us the like/dislike is not a premise but an outcome, so when we understand what our client requires to be expressed by their design we try to give it an accomplished form that fulfills the ‘like’ but also accommodates a number of functional aspects that are equally important in the daily use of the property. Our goal is to provide a home that is liked over time and that is not dictated by fads or ephemeral trends. In fact, the home is an asset that must last and be liked over time. Although checklists are always limited and there are always other aspects to evaluate not included in the list here is an example of the aspects to consider: Access When we have an available lot, it is important to understand where it is accessed from. Ideally we would always like to have a living area away from the driveway area so that we can enjoy the living spaces undisturbed. Access is not always located in the northern part of the lot however, this would be the ideal solution. Floor plan Analyzing the site and any hazards and characteristics of it is critical. Today many areas have become floodplains even though they were not floodplains in the past. In the past there was less danger of flooding, today violent and incessant rainfall phenomena happen more frequently and put the hydraulic system in crisis. It should be verified on the basis of experience and mapping what area we are in and possibly plan to raise the property from ground level by bringing the ground level to a safe level. In case the lot is in a hilly area, the safety of the level where we have to build the house should be verified and, if necessary, interventions should be carried out to ensure the safety of the foundation level. Solar orientation Solar orientation is important for the placement of solar and photovoltaic panels, but it is also important to ensure the psychological well-being of inhabitants. Living areas should be placed in the south where there is more natural light. Bedrooms, especially those of children who spend more time in their rooms studying, can also benefit more from a southern orientation. Service areas and garages would be better oriented in northern areas with less light. The shape of the lot The shape of the lot largely
A renovation with the use of wood
Without wanting to make generalizations, historic buildings built by our grandparents have two major problems: seismic resistance; Lack of insulation. There are two typical shortcomings of traditional stone or brick masonry. These are materials that have high transmittance and high mass, which produces high seismic strength. Wood therefore could be a valuable ally in improving existing buildings by alleviating its deficiencies with inexpensive drywall interventions that are quick and easy to implement. Structural wood is the perfect ally for curing the deficiencies of old masonry Here, for example, is an intervention we are carrying out inside an existing building with a beautiful roof line. The building was originally a manufacturing workshop from the early 1900s, being located within an urban context it no longer lends itself to its original function. The new use is affected by the tertiarization of the area. Thus, without changing the appearance of the building and enhancing its strengths such as the beautiful wooden structure, we worked with an internal wooden skeleton equipped with insulation ensuring: a new capacity for resilience Subdividing spaces both vertically and horizontally Equipping the building with new toilets and facilities. We carried out the works, thanks to the rapid assembly of the wooden structures, in less than a month and on a very limited budget providing a work space for a professional activity of about 10 employees. Thanks to the generous thickness of mineral wool insulation we brought the ‘building to Class A, eliminated gas and brought the building to passive house levels. The new lighting is designed with a low-consumption lighting system using LED technology. The appropriately counter-vented wooden skeleton ensures a seismic-resistant capsule in which to work daily.