Blending into the context

The magnificent Sicilian holiday resort of Marina di Ragusa is renowned for its splendid beach and the constantly-changing colours of its crystal-clear water. Developed after the second world war as a seaside annex of Ragusa Ibla, a splendid Baroque town perched on the slopes of the Hyblaean mountains, its appeal has been increased over the years by the construction of an efficient tourist marina. At the same time much work has been done on reorganising and upgrading the many holiday homes located there, one of which is the residence illustrated in this article. The property was radically transformed to create a holiday residence with contemporary comfort and functionality, which included modernising the services and utilities and expanding the spaces as far as possible with pergolas, lightweight structures and an attic. The project followed a sophisticated modernist design and used materials that are in complete harmony with the genius loci, the spirit of the place.
“The house was remodelled with the aim of accommodating a family of four and includes a bedroom with ensuite bathroom for each of the children,” explained architects Antonio Buscema and Giovanni Cavalieri from the Ragusa-based practice Kruna Architettura & Restauro. “What really distinguishes it is its strong relationship with the context, part of a small cluster of holiday homes immersed in the rust-coloured countryside with its dry stone walls.”
The dry stone wall was taken as the symbol and architectural cornerstone of the project. The house itself is organised around its own solid stone wall which runs lengthwise through the property, separating the living spaces from the sleeping areas.
Its powerful mineral texture also serves as a splendid backdrop to the large panoramic verandas.
The stone wall also has a precise vertical role as it supports a cantilevered staircase leading to the attic.
The architects chose wood as the material for the stairs to provide an aesthetic link with the interior and exterior floor coverings used throughout the complex, which consist entirely of porcelain from Marazzi’s Trewerk outdoor line.
The architects commented: “This is an exceptional ceramic tile in terms of both performance and appearance. We chose the Cappuccino colour wood-effect finish as it reflects the sun-baked earth tone palette of the surrounding countryside and reproduces it in the interior and exterior spaces. The wood look of this ceramic tile is so realistic that you feel as though you’re walking on a warm wood floor.” The interior design is inspired by neo-rationalist elegance and simplicity and pursues the same vision of close integration between aesthetics and function. The interiors are organised in such a way as to ensure the maximum fluidity of movement and are largely fitted out with custom-made furniture with a white lacquered finish. This solution reduces the visual impact of the furniture while at the same time emphasising the texture and colour of the architectural materials adopted in the project. For the same reason, wood with an open-pore finish has been used for other furnishings.