Villa in Lugano
A villa by the famous Swiss architect Rino Tami, built in 1980, was extended with a renovation project that made it contemporary, respecting its spirit and original layout.
EXTENSION, RENOVATION AND CUSTOM-MADE FURNITURE
The house is on an average-size lot, on a hill overlooking the lake, surrounded by other projects designed by the architect Rino Tami. The main objective was to create a relationship between the panoramic garden and the living area, which was simply a terrace overlooking a sloping lawn. Today, just three steps from the terrace, we can reach the large and flat lawn which acts as a covering for the new underground garage. A single-storey building in appearance but actually a two-storey house, the villa had small openings on the lower ground floor and at the back, and a living area with large windows but dark in the middle.
The lighting was improved by two round skylights, which we kept and completed with others placed above the kitchen’s work areas. With regard for the relationship between solids and voids, we however created a strong link with the exterior, with more livability in the front, in the the pool area, and at the back of the house; all spaces that were formerly only allowed to be enjoyed visually. There is a new staircase connecting the pool directly to the living area terrace and to the bedrooms, which are now accessible from the outside through the insertion of a new balcony. The project also entailed custom-made furniture, which becomes part of the structure of the house itself.
INFORMATIONS
Studio Benaim worked on the expansion, internal and external renovation, interiors and furnishings design of the Villa in Lugano. The intervention was carried out by the project team: André Benaim and Massimiliano Arnone.