VILLA 14 | Rocco Valentini

The Villa number 14, is located in Giuliano Teatino, a village, in Abruzzo, Italy . House and shop (with the clothing store and home). The building was constructed on a sloping site, and while the shop accessed from a public road, located in the lowest level in the inferior part of the site , the house has an entrance from the garden on the opposite side to the upper level. Wide terraces are opened looking out on the road to the south side. The design of the elevations starts from a strong sense of horizontality, especially on the main front, conferred by prominent overhangs of the terrazzo floors and roofs, horizontal lines are then interrupted by septa and pilasters that enrich the texture. Also unusual is the rotation of planes and volumes, which gives an interesting dynamic effect in three out of four prospects, while the fourth prospect, the one where there is the entrance to the private homes, is defined by three pure volumes. In this project we see how the use of traditional materials like brick does not preclude cuts and spaces with modern and dynamic lines, indeed often the different textures of bricks and stones highlight and enrich the prospects. Even in the fence there is a pattern typical of wooden palisades, but reproposed by a metal frame and perforated plate, with an unusual structure of steel and glass to serve as shelter. So horizontal lines cut by vertical segments, and finally flying buttresses to draw openings or to create striking passages which with its curved shapes contrasts the scalar cut of the showcases in the basement. Angular shapes are rubbed on sinuous lines, it’s in this dichotomy between the metal and stone, between cold and warm that we find the identity of this project.