Urban living in the Tyrol

The project for this all-white villa in the Tyrol is based on a fluid building concept and a harmonious relationship between interior and exterior. It is located close to Kufstein, an Austrian town overlooked by the eponymous thirteenth century fortress, not far from the river Inn and a short drive from the German border with Bavaria. The ground floor is divided into a series of spaces devoted to socialising, including a large living area designed with minimal furnishings and paintings and large full-height windows that open onto the indoor garden terrace. An internal open staircase protected by tall glass panels – identical to those used around the edge of the first-floor terrace – leads to the sleeping area, which likewise opens onto the green oasis of the garden. The meticulously designed outdoor space features a swimming pool complete with a hot tub flush with the terrace floor. Here the space is organised into a dining area and a strictly open-air conversation/relaxation area, and is furnished with large comfortable chairs and designer daybeds, underscoring the spatial continuity between the interior and exterior. While the overall project is very distant from the local architectural tradition, the materials chosen for the interior and exterior floor coverings reference the imposing Kaiser mountain range that extends along the distant horizon. The surface coverings are inspired by nature, emulating the colour of grey stone while at the same time blending perfectly into the urban context. The chosen material is the Seastone collection high-performance stone-look porcelain from Atlas Concorde, available in various sizes and finishes. As a result, the interior and exterior blend seamlessly, creating a strong sense of material and visual continuity. Seastone from Atlas Concorde is a stone-effect porcelain tile inspired by rigorously selected natural stone slabs that combine an essential look with the presence of a variety of fossils. In the Villa Kufstein project, this collection harnesses the appeal of the natural material, coupling the beauty of stone with the outstanding technical performance of porcelain. The Seastone Grey colour was chosen for the interior floors in the living area, the bathrooms and bedrooms, and coordinates perfectly with the external paving in terms of colour and composition. The large outdoor spaces surrounding the villa are paved with 20 mm Seastone Lastra, specially designed for technical applications and with a textured finish to ensure maximum solidity and safety. Thanks to its excellent technical characteristics and resistance to moisture, the extra thick version was also chosen for the elegant and practical walkways and for the swimming pool surround.