Compositional rigor and rich functional program of the AP House in Urbino

Enhancing the traditional landscape

Pure, rigorous volumes that faithfully interpret the formal canons of the Marche tradition empathetically dialogue with the pre-existing structure dating back to the age of the Communes. A project by GGA GARDINI GIBERTINI ARCHITETTI aims to be the voice of the rebirth of the ancient village. Clad in a stone shell, the new structures stand on a platform of red concrete, dominating the landscape and concealing within them a high-quality contemporary essence and a rich functional program

The interiors of the main building

The main residence is spread over three levels. On the basement floor, the main access is through the large garage, a clever strategy to protect the landscape from transportation means. Here, in addition to the technical rooms, there is a cinema room, an exhibition gallery connecting the main building with the annex, and a gym with a SPA. A staircase leads to the ground floor where the living area opens up: kitchen, living room, dining area, and study embrace the hilly landscape and the pool with their view. The first floor, organized around a spacious gallery, houses the master apartment and two double bedrooms with their respective bathrooms

The garden and the annex

The annex, with its wooden perimeter frame, is reminiscent of a barn. A third building, serving the garden, is located on top of a small artificial hill; its basement houses a storage space while the ground floor features a kitchen with a barbecue. This part of the garden, with its misaligned geometry traced by grass and Corten, aims to introduce an element of disruption and discontinuity in the orthogonality of the overall green layout

The finishes

The architects chose a load-bearing perimeter structure in exposed reinforced concrete, which frees up the space entirely for light and life, without obstructions. The concrete, combined with the brick-colored resin of the floors and the wood of the furnishings, creates a solid and warm atmosphere, hyper-modern yet reminiscent of the sensations of rural tradition. The furniture design, entirely conceived by the GGA studio and made of natural walnut wood, qualifies and organizes each environment, concealing within it the service spaces and the plant and technological components. The house's energy supply, which is solely electric, is guaranteed by an extensive integrated photovoltaic system hidden in the property's garden