Modern alpine home is built on the ruins of an old rustic structure

The bones of an old rustic structure have been reborn as the base for a contemporary home with stunning views of the Italian Alps. Architect Rocco Borromini salvaged stone ruins and added glass and wood to create a modern interpretation of the local vernacular architecture. The beautiful home, named the S.V. House, is located in Albosaggia, Italy.

The S.V. house retains a traditional gabled form, but the interior and the front facade are decidedly modern in design. A reinforced concrete slab connects the stone walls on the first floor, while the use of brushed larch wood for the second floor, roof, and part of the facade soften the look of the natural stone and reinforce the building’s connection to nature. Large windows overlook views of the countryside and mountains while allowing natural light to flood the interior.

The interior design makes efficient use of the building’s 22-square-meter footprint. “Overall space is limited but this condition and the choice of materials, helped to create that feeling of ‘hearth’ with evocative power and was one of the cardinal principles of many rural architecture as well as much of the academic architecture,” writes the architect.