Renovation of a house in Vernate
The original building was designed and constructed in 1972 by architects Unterlöhner + Waibel, Ulm (Germany). It is a building with exposed brickwork and walls with a load-bearing wooden structure, insulated and clad in wood. The asymmetrical gable roof defines the interior volumes of the sleeping area, which has sloping walls. The façade facing the woods is entirely covered with prefabricated tile roofing. The living room has large windows and opens onto a wide and very picturesque view of the Agno-Porto Ceresio branch of Lake Lugano.
The building is a single-family house with one floor but with a layout divided into two levels: entrance, kitchen and living room on the lower level, two bedrooms and bathrooms on the upper level (+1.40 cm). The living area is a volume partially suspended on pillars that separate it from the ground below. The sleeping area is located upstream.
The windows had solid wood frames and single glazing. The floor is covered with red Klinker tiles. The walls are exposed brick with recessed joints, and the living room and bedrooms are covered with coconut fibre carpet. The wooden doors and partition walls are painted with glossy lacquer in dark blue, yellow and ivory white. The heating system was powered by an oil burner.
The renovation project for the house is based on the principle of maintaining the character and aesthetics of the building. From a technical standpoint, the old burner was replaced with a new air-water heat pump, new pipes were installed and the radiators were replaced. All the single-glazed windows were replaced with new insulated double glazing, while retaining the original wooden frames, except for the bathroom windows, which were completely replaced. A layer of insulating material was applied under the floor slab in the living area. The original floor covering was replaced with new Rucksthul Flow Sisal carpet. All lacquered wood surfaces were repainted, retaining the original colours but revising the shades in accordance with Le Corbusier's Les couleurs palette, using the colours bleu outremer 59, le jaune vif and blanc ivoire. The old kitchen was replaced with a new one, made entirely of stainless steel. Text description by the architects.
Source: www.enricosassi.ch
Construction company: Bosisio SA
RCVS systems: Equans Switzeralnd AG
Carpenter: Cavaleri Carlo SA
Electrician: Jermini Elettricità SA
Plumber: Jörg Soldati
Kitchen: Tiba AG
Plasterer: Willy Robbiani Costruzioni SA
Painter: SP Color SA
Locksmith: Bernasconi Renato SA
Upholsterer: Knupfer arredamenti
Exterior work: Inalbero
