A Modern-Day Fortress House With A Timeless Design
This contemporary residence is located in Bellinzona, Switzerland and it’s a modern-day fortress. With 260 square meters of living space, it’s big enough to be perfect as a family home. The construction and interior design were completed in 2017. It was a project conducted by Davide Macullo Architects. The house was built for a client that wanted to focus a lot on comfort but also on privacy. The architects also focused on creating a design that’s timeless and unusual enough to be interesting even years into the future.
You can immediately tell that this is a house like no other. Compared to the other houses in the area, it’s very modern and very simplified. Of course, even compared to other modern and contemporary houses, it still stands out thanks to its unusual architecture. Privacy and comfort were the most important things in this project and the architects had an interesting way of approaching the subject.
With large windows and even larger walls to protect the interiors from unwanted neighboring looks, the house seems pretty closed off but is surprisingly open, bright and airy. In a way, it’s like a fortress but without a big focus on protection against invaders. It’s a concrete box with an unexpected structure and form. The openings are nicely balanced, offering views in all directions.
The big concrete walls and the cantilevering roof sections are not just for privacy. They shelter a series of beautiful outdoor spaces like this terrace which has unobstructed views in two directions and a roof over it for protection and shade. It’s a wonderful gathering space and a great entertainment area for family and friends.
The interior is simple, structured on multiple levels linked by staircases and there are more openings and windows that the exterior shell lets us see. As a result, the spaces are bright and filled with natural light while also being private and comfortable, just like the client requested.