Villa Borgo Duino, a summer promenade

The karst plateau that stretches from the foothills of the Julian Alps to the Adriatic sea in the Friuli region of north-eastern Italy is a land of ancient traditions and a popular tourist destination. Immersed in green countryside just a short walk from the sea, the Villa Borgo Duino hotel in the small town of Duino Aurisina near Trieste is the ideal venue for a splendid holiday. « It has a warm, peaceful atmosphere where guests can relax by the swimming pool or laze in one of the hammocks in the large garden, » explained the owners. « The swimming pool area, recently renovated along with the entire external area, is the centrepiece of the entire remodelling project. » « We wanted to maintain a consistent image throughout both the exterior and interior spaces, » architect MaurizioVolpato from Monfalcone, Gorizia-based practice ZED – Zero Energy Design told us. « The material chosen for the outdoor area, a porcelain tile with a wood and rust-inspired aesthetic, also proved ideal for the interiors. » The architect chose Cottage Wood Ruggine tiles from Fioranese for the swimming pool area and white Tufo d’Arredo tiles from Coem for the stairs and walkways. « The exterior area of Villa Borgo Duino, a summer residence recently converted into a guesthouse and a designer restaurant in Duino Aurisina, needed to be upgraded to improve the services offered to establishment’s highly discerning clientele. A 10.80 x 4.50 metre swimming pool was installed in the area in front of the building, immersed in greenery and offering a view of the castle of Duino. In keeping with the overall philosophy, we chose a paving for the swimming pool area that would combine aesthetics with practicality. This solution is visually highly effective and has been very well received by guests. The beige colour chosen for the pool surround is reiterated in the pavement around the building and the access driveway that leads through the garden. » In keeping with this principle of variety and continuity, « We chose to use the same exterior floor covering for the interior restaurant, currently undergoing remodelling, to achieve continuity between the interior and exterior and between the front and rear of the building. Wood-effect strips will be installed in the inner rooms through to the rear of the building, where there will be a conservatory with large windows facing onto the garden. The choice of a frost-resistant, non-slip floor tile naturally ensures both ease of cleaning and safety. But above all, we chose an appealing and visually distinctive element that would identify the social and leisure spaces, » concluded the architect.