Living A.D.

This Trentino project transforms a large, under‑used loft into a fully functioning apartment, guided by a single principle: make the existing roof volume feel generous, calm, and daylit, while meeting the practical demands of contemporary living with minimal visual noise. The refurbishment treats the pitched envelope not as a limitation to conceal, but as the defining spatial character, an interior landscape shaped by slope, structure, and carefully controlled openings to the sky.

The plan is conceived as a continuous living surface, with the main domestic functions arranged to preserve the longest, clearest perception of space. A broad open‑plan room accommodates living, dining, and kitchen activities without fragmenting the volume into small, compromised rooms. The kitchen becomes a precise linear workspace integrated into a band of cabinetry that absorbs storage and services, keeping everyday clutter hidden and allowing the roof geometry to remain legible. Where separation is useful, between cooking and living, or to modulate privacy, the project employs lightweight sliding elements rather than fixed partitions, maintaining flexibility and uninterrupted sightlines.

Structurally and atmospherically, the intervention builds on what already exists. Timber elements remain visible and legible, while new steelwork is expressed with restraint as a thin, dark line, an honest reinforcement that also establishes a datum for sliding panels and alignments. The material palette is intentionally limited: light timber floors and pale joinery amplify daylight and visually “lift” the roof plane, while more tactile materials such as stone and metal are reserved for points of contact and durability, particularly in kitchen worktops and bathroom fittings. This clarity lends the apartment a gallery‑like calm, where furniture and everyday objects can sit without competing with the architecture.

Daylight is treated as a primary construction material. Roof windows are positioned to wash the sloping ceilings with soft, reflected light and to draw the eye outward, reducing the sense of enclosure typical of attic conversions. The interior shifts throughout the day, bright and expansive when the sun is high, intimate in the evening when artificial lighting takes over. The lighting strategy is equally disciplined: pendant points and concealed sources reinforce the project’s linear order rather than turning the ceiling into a field of fixtures.

The bathrooms follow the same logic of precision and durability. Wet areas are detailed with glass screens, fine mosaic surfaces, and robust stone elements, balancing a spa‑like atmosphere with long‑term practicality. Everything reads as built‑in and purposeful, with storage and services integrated so that the limited wall heights beneath the roof remain fully usable.

Here, sustainability begins with intelligent reuse. The project extends the life of an existing building volume rather than consuming new land or structure, while improving comfort through a more efficient envelope, enhanced daylighting, and a rationalised services layout. The refurbishment demonstrates how an attic can become a high‑quality home without forcing the roof into conventional shapes, by working with the section, respecting the structure, and allowing light, proportion, and carefully crafted joinery to do the essential work.

client. private
year. 2006