GI multi-family housing

GI multi-family housing: three apartment with lake view

This is an Italian architecture that has been published abroad (United States) to show how a building can at the same time be contemporary, respectful of tradition and fit into the landscape. We wanted to prove that real estate housing projects can be architectural projects. That even in a really odd shaped lot you can build an architecture with three spacious apartments. That an architect can design with the mind, but also with the heart.

GI multi-family housing: a dream to realize

GI multi-family residential is located in Ischia, a town in south-east of Pergine Valsugana, on a sloping ground. The building consist of three apartments, one for each floor, the last one is a duplex. From the large windows one can enjoy a beautiful view of Caldonazzo lake, the light is excellent all year round, also allowed by both the natural hills and by the surrounding buildings.

GI multi-family housing: our project of architecture, outdoor spaces design and construction

The peculiar place and the existing buildings inspired to build a building with a very compact and uniform volume. We wanted to reduce the visual impact of the main front, visible from the lake, using balconies with loggia features, and by creating a continuity between the front and the pitched roofs. The latter is not protruding from the walls but rather it’s integrated into the built up volume, the plaster on the walls is coloured with local natural earth shades, whereas the balconies and terraces have a perforated railing.The niches of the loggias, a remind of the traditional one in the country, along with the window frames, doors and cantilevered slabs have a dark colour.
In terms of energy performance the building is classified as A +; winter heating works through a condensing boiler with a sealed chamber, and consumes less than 35 KW. Domestic hot water is produced by solar panels installed on the roof of the building. To have an energy-saving building, in addition to the external walls/ceilings insulations and natural ventilation, we focused on designing a plan with an extremely rational layout and we put large low-emissivity (triple glazing) windows with wooden frames on the south, east and west facades in order to benefit the most from the winter sun.
The main entrance, accessible to both vehicles and pedestrians, is located on the street at the bottom, while secondary entrances, pedestrian-only, are located both at the top and the bottom of the slope. Since the access are separated, those treated with greenery are enhanced, the result is a residential building immersed in the landscape, capable of allowing relationships between the inhabitants.