Minimalissimo

Rome Penthouse

architecture

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Location
Rome, Italy
Architect
Giorgio Rava Studio
Website
giorgioravastudio.it

The elegance and purity of marble define this remarkable penthouse in Rome, designed by Giorgio Rava Studio. An urban loft surrounded by the disorder and noise of the city has been turned into a pure, uncontaminated space, perfectly complete in itself. A place suspended in time, dominated by silence and natural light, in which to find refuge and get away from the chaos of modern life. A space within which it is finally possible to reunite with creation, recover one’s roots, and the origin of one’s actions and thoughts.

The original architecture has been redesigned, stretching perspectives and removing visual impediments in favour of an open plan that allows space to flow freely, wrapped in the warm, deep white of statuary marble. The rooms, flooded with natural light, create suspended, rarified atmospheres in which the expressive and material quality of marble are exalted, evoking a thousand-year history. The magic of the sun’s rays trapped in the translucent mass and liquid textures of stone, engage us in the constantly renewing miracle of nature.

The feeling of suspension is amplified by the absence of furniture, reduced to include only the essential, and by the abstraction of all the functions which are perfectly concealed in the austere architecture. The only exception is the large monolith island in statuary marble with a hand-carved washbasin located in the middle of the living-area that appears unfinished. Altar dedicated to the rituals of everyday life.

Colours and materials have been reduced to a minimum. The flooring, walls, and furniture have been made in matt statuary marble, while the ceilings are plastered with raw earth in the same colour, giving the entire setting both tactile and colour continuity.

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