Restructuring of Casetta delle Pitture between history and design

The Casetta delle Pitture (Paintings Cottage) is a rural house built in 1954 in Piazzola del Brenta, in the province of Padua. Abandoned for about 15 years after the blacksmith's workshop that inhabited it was closed down, it is now coming back to life thanks to the renovation of its interiors and the conservation restoration works on the structure

Solid brick walls, concrete floors, and wooden roof

When the provincial road facing Casetta delle Pitture was paved and carriages were replaced by automobiles, the main function of the horse shoeing blacksmith ceased, depriving the building of its main attraction. Since 2020, the rural dwelling, constrained in its volume and facade design, has undergone a total restoration that, in addition to energy and earthquake retrofitting, has promoted the recovery of its typical features: the solid brick walls from the nearby Piazzola Brickworks, the exposed concrete floors, the wooden roof structure, etc

The new layout and structural interventions

Architect Elena Gomiero designs the renovation of the house, which is completed in 2025. The building consists of a two-story load-bearing masonry volume, where the simple and run-down blacksmith's dwelling was located, and the annex that served as a workshop and shelter for courtyard animals. The house was organized with pass-through rooms on both levels: today, the ground floor space benefits from some new openings between the rooms, reinforced by double steel profile portals; on the first floor, the layout remains unchanged except for the creation of a corridor in the pass-through room. The workshop volume is merged with the main one, creating a generous living area where the new exposed concrete staircase extends to create a bench/support surface for the living room

The materials and furnishings

The attention to materials is paramount in the interior design of Casetta delle Pitture, both from a functional and aesthetic point of view: the floor, which unifies the entire intervention with its 70Materia® finish in its original color, antique effect, is reminiscent of the original cement; the bricks of the walls are brought to light by removing the plaster and left to shine in pink-brown tones contrasting with the grays; the new spruce wood beams have a specially designed finish to achieve an antique effect through light burning, brushing, and various impregnating agents. The building is also brought to remarkable levels of energy efficiency and anti-seismic safety. The furniture is a skillful mix of vintage pieces, others of design, and others like the table and benches in the dining area made by the clients

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Elena Gomiero Architetto

via Vescovo Rorio, n. 10 - 35030 Cervarese Santa Croce, Padova, Italy