A Coastal Italian Villa That’s More Outside Than In
Gosplan Architects reimagine a hillside property in the Tyrrhenian Sea as the Casa della Sughera.
Though Sardinia and Sicily may be the better-known Italian islands, the small limestone formation of Tavolara boasts an equally picturesque natural and architectural landscape. And although it is only four kilometres long, it nonetheless has striking residences lining its shores. In early 2020, the Genoa-based practice Gosplan Architects was commissioned to reimagine and update one such coastal property.
As part of the renovation, the studio preserved the two main wings of the original 1970s structure and introduced a series of pathways in collaboration with landscape designers from the multidisciplinary firm Caarpa. Together, they merged the nearly 2,000-square-foot residence with the more than 10,000-square-foot outdoor area. Fittingly for such an al fresco habitat, these routes step down and around the hillside site, unfolding into a series of levels demarcating various functional zones that blur the lines between inside and out.
At the core of the complex, dubbed Casa della Sughera (Cork Oak House in Italian), Gosplan inserted a central skylight to anchor the scheme. A custom fireplace with integrated seating further grounds the main living area, where surrounding oak built-ins, doors, windows, and kitchen cabinetry complement the warm tones of the exposed timber beams running along the pitched ceilings of the dining area and bedrooms. Throughout, the irregular patterning of the roughly hewn stone exterior is picked up in the rhomboid basalt floor tiles, further knitting the interior to the ample landscape. Such cool grey hues appear again in the upholstery and drapery, set off against the otherwise stark white walls.
In yet another connection to the outdoors, a wood-clad balcony projects toward the Tyrrhenian Sea. Not only does this create an extension of the living area, but it also joins the elongated pool below in matching the horizon line.
As a continuation of the sinuous walkways through the residence, an added stairway curves around an existing cork oak tree to lead from the garden level to the renovated rooftop. Framed by monolithic chimneys and pristine white plaster, sunken outdoor living areas offer panoramic views of the bright blue waters beyond, completing the contextual new residence that’s more outside than in.
