Montedarena Whitewall | MAS - Modern Apulian Style

The white wall, one of Apulia’s architectural elements, becomes a fundamental component of the project. The wall as generator of space but also as public and private dimension, enclosed by a unique architectural landmark.

The hand of man draws the landscape using a unique compositional element: the wall. Seamlessly going from being a linear boundary between open spaces to being a volume, the wall becomes the keeper of a cozy and discreet lifestyle typical of an ancient and fascinating region such as Apulia.

It was decided to work with two fundamental architectural local elements, the wall and the light, and to interpret the construction’s theme of the “Masseria” by designing a compact building constituted by a series of volumes that create patios or solar chimneys that filter and bring indirect light indoors.

The white wall becomes a protective element, it is the filter and the shelter from the atmospheric agents, from the hot sun of Southern Italy and from its light. It is the relationship between the bright light and the wall that creates shadow plays that can be seen on the facade. Just like in a “Masseria” the full prevails on the empty, the openings are calibrated and positioned so that they are not visible from the outside, responding to the dual need for privacy and shielding from direct sun.

The interior of the complex has been structured by studying different housing types, from single detached villa to one and two bedroom flats also with garden. The exterior presents itself as a compact building in which there is no evidence of the different building units but, like in a “Masseria” , there is a sequence of spaces designed around a single volume.

Passive architecture, passive houses provided with innovative systems – renewable energy and home automation systems – and the wise hand of Apulian craftsmen.