Against the rugged landscape of the south west of Italy, MORQ has designed a home whose solid mass offers respite and a return to roots by the coast in Calabria.
For the architects, “To dwell in Calabria is to firmly locate oneself in the Mediterranean landscape”. Though the residence they have designed is a summer retreat, this idea permeates the space—making the act of such location almost impossible to avoid. ‘Villa Ra’ stands facing the sea, and its layout sits gently upon the land, adjusting its levels as the mountainous terrain requires as it spills down towards the blue waters of the Gulf of Squillace.
Conceived of as a “house that looks”, the villa is constructed around large social areas that open onto the landscape. The fenestration of the house intends to connect the residents to their natural surroundings; “It is typical of a Mediterranean dwelling”, the architects note, “where the understanding of a relationship with the place has a central role in the conception and expression of its outcome”. By drawing upon the colors of the land and formal elements of traditional Italian buildings in the area, ‘Villa Ra’ does not just sit comfortably amongst the landscape—it throws its doors open to it.
All images © Pep Sau and Givlio Artiside
