Soft Concrete

A domesticated natural landscape, a terrain whose colors blend into the hues of the Lombardy sky, and occasionally the sky fades into such an intangible grey that it blurs the horizon and the road. But not in every season. Here, colors change like the pages on a calendar and are never as neutral as some might think. In fact, the grey factor is a phenomenon that shrouds the Po Valley in a veil of mystery. Because this seemingly modest neutral shade is actually a world of subtle, infinite nuances concealed between two extremes: black and white. A tension that seems to characterize this single-family home designed by architect Marco Ortalli, where the material brushstroke of concrete plays the leading role along with the Brughiera Briantea Park, an area of great natural interest a few kilometers north of Milan. Here, raw concrete becomes the true voice of the project, an instrument that narrates the story of the structure, rising above momentary trends. It is a tangible sign of the inexorable connection between technique and aesthetics, creative exploration and the final image, an experimental quest that arises from the passion to capture the raw, genuine beauty of this material, transforming it into a powerful statement. Add to this the horizontal lines of the construction, punctuated by large carefully orchestrated openings and the home’s east-west orientation that allows optimal natural lighting and a panoramic view of the outdoors, and it becomes clear that the sense of coziness is concealed in the simplicity of the features.

Thanks to the exposed reinforced concrete that is elevated from a construction material to a means of expression in the common areas – like the large open living room, kitchen, dining area and study – where even the honed flooring forms a homogenous whole with the walls.

Clad in chestnut slats, the subtle slope of the porch ceiling adds warmth, softening the industrial edge of the setting.

Natural light pours in through the large living room window, bringing with it the seasonally changing panorama of the surrounding moorlands, offering new views to the attentive observer. The architect’s orchestrated interplay of smaller openings that face the street insulates the home from noise and prying eyes, while those facing the garden are wide open, allowing the gaze to roam clear to the horizon. The space is carefully calibrated, designed to synchronize with the rhythm of the family’s daily routines. On one side, the living and kitchen areas, and on the other, the private quarters, including bedrooms, bathrooms, and laundry room. These two distinct zones speak different design languages, most notably in the whispered intimacy of the sleeping spaces crafted for maximum comfort. Here, the design is tempered by the use of plaster on the walls, by the chestnut parquet - this time on the floors (in contrast to the living room where it is on the ceiling) - and by the lowered ceilings, ingredients so well integrated as to further reinforce the feeling of intimacy infused into this space. Two interior worlds converge toward a single purpose – to create a serene environment, tailored to suit the needs of a young couple and their baby daughter that have elected to live far from the fast pace of urban life. A home that is also a lifestyle project and the surrounding landscape an ally in the creation of this haven of coziness.