A dialogue between materials

A two-storey white building with imposing, bold lines and a decidedly contemporary style stands out against the landscaped greenery of the prestigious Nordelta golf course.
According to OON Architecture (made up of Lucas D’Adamo Baumann, Santiago Robin and Federico Segretin Sueyro), simplicity is the guiding principle of the project, which is restrained yet sophisticated. In the Marble House, they explain, « the search for an individual language is based on the use of overlapping clean volumes, pure forms that can be shifted, worked and emptied out to give life to living spaces. At first glance, one can make out three distinct compositional units each corresponding to a functional volume: the social area, the private area and the service area. »
Extending over a floor space of more than 520 square metres, the building presents as a graceful expansion in space of three prismatic nuclei. The upper unit, which houses the master bedroom and two other suites, appears to float above the two volumes below, almost cantilevered over the pool. The living room and kitchen occupy the entire ground floor volume, where light flows in through a continuous glass wall. To one side stands a third windowless volume housing the utility spaces. « The functional organisation of the building is expressed in terms of volumes rather than materials, » explain the architects. However, « the travertine of the cladding plays a fundamental role and is an integral part of the project, because it gives the building a monolithic character ». The building’s light-coloured stone cladding is replaced in some sections by fully glazed walls, in others by industrial-style metal reflecting panels. Marble, a quintessentially classic material, enters into an interesting conceptual and aesthetic dialogue with more technological and contemporary surfaces, in particular the Kerlite 5plus Metal ultra-thin large-format (300×100 cm) laminated porcelain tiles from Cotto D’Este, decorated with a high-definition inkjet system to create a hyper-realistic Iron metal finishing effect. This material is used both on the façade, where it acts as a material and chromatic counterpoint to the dominance of marble, and also on some of the interior walls. This establishes an additional link between interior and exterior along with the more direct connection provided by the large windows. In particular, the living room window is dramatically angled as if to project the space outwards while at the same time echoing the blue of the pool, which is reflected in the glass with an effect of dramatic emphasis and spatial expansion. The principle of sophisticated simplicity also applies to the interiors, which are flooded with light and interconnected by free, open pathways, the central fulcrum of the staircase acting as a kind of pivot between the three volumes. Contrasting materials and chiaroscuro effects between the marble and the deep metallic sheen of the porcelain tiles give the rooms a strong personality, complemented by the essential design of the furnishings. Linear and sober yet generously sized furnishings (a monumental kitchen, extra-large relaxation islands, numerous long tables) are used to create a contemporary living space with a dramatic yet convivial atmosphere.