StudioArch has designed the FM Villa located in Sommo (Pv) – Italy.

The idea was to use the concept of sculpture starting from pure volume (the block of matter), work it and dig it up to get the final project.

StudioArch

courtesy StudioArch

courtesy StudioArch

courtesy StudioArch

courtesy StudioArch

+ Statement from StudioArch

Make a project of a private villa has completely different from all the other tasks that you can receive for the simple reason that the customer is also user and developer of a singular thing:

A rapresentative object of his personality. In these cases, without succumbing to the easy temptation to follow the directives of the client, it is important to understand the nature of customer’s character like in a therapy.

In this case it is a manager “by chance” whose true spirit leads him to understand without much effort the various nuances and expressions of art.

His initial request were intentionally very generic and like all open minds did not impose anything perhaps hoping to be surprised by the final result. The idea was to use the concept of sculpture starting from pure volume (the block of matter), work it and dig it up to get the final project. In this interpretation, the sculptural process is not done randomly but guided by the relationship context / interior /energy saving / urban law requirements.

The local urban plan in particular have characterized predominantly outward appearance starting from the awareness of a fact. In Italy, often, respect for tradition, art and the landscape translate into ridiculous impositions that limit the work of architects through an iconic image of a culture of the past never really existed. All that the legislator wants, in essential, is the mimicry towards other neighboring buildings. In a landscape like the Italian one, marked by the reckless and unauthorized building, where every town, big or small, every 3-4 years it implement its expansion with new developing areas when in the same time about 30% of housing is not used, the the legislator’s concern focuses on methods to standardize the national architectural landscape to a distorted view of what they think it should be. In this perverse mechanism of collective imagination creation ,probably irreparably distorted, , bringing the mass to think that what is right or not in term of architecture, art and landscape. Really stupid. The denial of this rules restriction was used in the project as part of modelling processing. The inverse roof, at the same time, serve both for the collection of sunlight and for respect of rules. A fait accompli the authorities have not been able to see irregularities in the interpretation of legislation despite being in front of a decidedly unwelcome result for the legislator.

Contextualization with the place and the local tradition

The building is located in a small town on the periphery of Lombardy (Italy) in area that directly borders the surrounding countryside. As in the whole plains region, here you can see poplar trees, cultivated by man and arranged in regular rows that filter the view. Between trees, the visuals are irregular and unpredictable due to the different forms of the logs that compose it. The same concept was used in our project for creating an open space that runs through the house in the direction of the visual of the poplars. From the outside of the house, positioning between trees and the villa, you can see the same irregular view conform with the surrounding nature while maintaining its clear characteristic of unnatural human artifact.

Functional distribution

the Interior layout is organized around this void that runs through the villa that becomes the distribution element and it also assumes, for size and specifications, the role of multifunctional space. The shape and arrangement of the rooms is dictated by functional needs and therefore are not all orthogonal to the outer shell.

The design of this interiors spaces follows the concept explained before integrating it with functional needs and orientation dictated by reason.

Energy efficiency

The roof design, facing south, has resulted in significant benefits in terms of energy and natural ventilation. Infact the flap more inclined, where we installed solar and photovoltaic panels, can never be in shadow. At the same time the shape of the roof and the openings creates a natural ventilation in summer time for good thermal comfort. From the technological point of view the house is of course equipped with all contemporary devices integrated with each other to achieve a high energy performance.

The windows haven’t shielding to not compromise the coherence of the project concept. However, to avoid problems arising from excessive incoming light was applied to a glass film that filters the sun’s rays by adjusting energy intake and avoiding overheating internally.

Poetic elements added

the roof’s design and the free internal distribution has led to a problem: in no way, it was possible to place a pillar under the roof’s central beam, where it was needed. So the “problem” is solved by creating a precarious balance between the apparent of the roof’s weight and the ephemeral’s weight of a lamp to represent the substantial unpredictability of life and the need to looking for the truth in every situation of life.

Site: Sommo (Pv) – Italy
Date: 2011
Project: AgostinoMarinoni/FrancoGorrini/LindaPizzocaro

+ All images courtesy StudioArch

The 80,000-square-foot office that Studio O+A designed for Evernote, an online data storage company in Redwood City, California, makes a virtue of the start-up's tight budget and tight schedule: the construction process became part of the aesthetic. Unpainted Douglas fir plywood serves as cladding in for coffee bar and break areas, and the company's name, tagline, and logo are drawn in chalk. To encourage creative interaction among employees, those snack and coffee counters, along with other communal and recreation spaces, are scattered generously throughout—even the white ash staircase between the second and third floors doubles as a gathering spot, with wide, cushioned steps. The reception station has its own coffee bar with a donut and pastry counter.

courtesy Studio O+A, photo by Jasper Sanidad

courtesy Studio O+A, photo by Jasper Sanidad

courtesy Studio O+A, photo by Jasper Sanidad

courtesy Studio O+A, photo by Jasper Sanidad

courtesy Studio O+A, photo by Jasper Sanidad

+ Statement from Studio O+A

At Evernote in Redwood City, California, the strict budget and swift pace of construction helped determine the direction of the design. Evernote is an online data storage company that allows its users to save (and retrieve) everything from Post-It notes to photographs to formal documents in the Cloud. With the company moving into a much larger building than it had previously occupied, and with business booming, Evernote needed to be up and running in its new space with a minimum of downtime. Our challenge was to design an office commensurate with Evernote's soaring profile—on what was essentially a start-up budget and schedule.

We began with the concept of making the process of construction part of the aesthetic. In a clean and modern context, construction materials may acquire the design impact of richer finishes. Evernote's coffee bar and break areas are clad with Douglas fir plywood, the texture and grain of which provides its own graphic patterns. Forgoing expensive interior branding, Evernote instead hired chalk artist Dana Tanamachi to draft a wall-sized representation of the company's identity, complete with its tagline, "Remember everything," and elephant logo. Low-maintenance, water-conserving plants on an adjoining wall contribute to the reception area's look of unforced spaciousness.

Adding to the informality is the placement of a coffee bar—with fully functioning donut and pastry counter—at the reception station. An echo of Evernote's mission of turning impulses into lasting archives of information, our design transforms the spontaneous habits of its staff (grabbing a donut on arrival, for example) into a lasting element.

This encouragement of spontaneity is reprised in the white ash stairway that connects the second and third floors. The wide staircase is fitted with cushioned step seating to make it a natural gathering place and area for relaxation. There are other spaces for breaks and informal meetings throughout the office—a large communal dining room; a ping-pong table; a designated fitness center equipped with treadmills, stationary bikes, and other exercise devices; and a series of small, strategically placed snack and coffee counters. The cumulative result of all these break options is an environment that promotes those casual interactions from which so many creative impulses spring.

As befits a work environment attuned to informal collaboration, the finish palette for Evernote is light. White walls and pastel accents mix with blonde wood and lighting that augment the natural brightness of the windows to subliminally communicate the spirit of the company—and turn a tight-budget, tight-schedule build-out into something memorable.

+ Project facts

Project: Evernote
Architect: Studio O+A
Project Team: Primo Orpilla, Verda Alexander, Clem Soga, Denise Cherry, Perry Stephney, David Hunter, Emily Brooks, Kroeun Dav, Alfred Socias, Sarunya Wongjodsri, Alma Lopez, Caren McDonald, Olivia Ward, Jeorge Jordan
Location: Redwood City, California
Client: Evernote
Gross square footage: 80,000
Contractor: DA Pope
Consultants: Vaziri Structural Engineering
Key materials: (type/brand) Carpet: Shaw Contract, Interface Flor; Furniture: Allsteel, HPL, Inscape, Herman Miller; Cabinetry: Caesarstone, Abet Laminati, Formica, Nevamar; Flooring: Bolon, Armstrong, Capri Cork; Lighting: Daybrite, Kirlin, Amerlux, Pinnacle, Prudential, Louis Poulsen, School House, Lithonia, Intense, Omega, Delray
Software used: AutoCAD, 3D Studio Max, Adobe Creative Suite
Photographer: Jasper Sanidad

+ All images courtesy Studio O+A, photo by Jasper Sanidad

A new conservatory is the perfect opportunity to inject some of your own personality into a property, or to give you a space that is a little different to the rest of the property. There are plenty of reasons for building a conservatory, so we have put together a list of 5 that are definitely worth considering.

The day room

A conservatory can be the perfect day room for those looking to bring their stress levels right down. Ideally, you will want to have the area as minimal as possible, with a large day bed for relaxation. Olive greens and pale blues will help with relaxation, whilst complimenting the conservatory itself. A dimmer switch on the light will finish the conservatory off perfectly for the evening.

The dining room

Light coloured distressed furniture will often look at home in a conservatory. A dresser in the corner and a cast iron dining set will finish it off perfectly and make the room ideal for a dining area. Sunday morning breakfasts or afternoon tea will be a welcome change from sitting in the traditional dining room or kitchen.

The kitchen

A conservatory can be a great spot for a kitchen. The glass top will make the area a far more appealing environment for those who don't like to spend hours slaving away in the kitchen. However, if this is something you are considering, then you will need less windows and more brick for the walls. Why not give it some thought, you may find it brings out the chef in you.

The garden

Blinds can be a great addition to a conservatory, as they add an element of privacy as well as being aesthetically pleasing. As such, you can transform the area into anything from an extended living area to a dining room. Floral blinds, coupled with a glass ceiling and some plants can help bring the garden into your home.

The Jacuzzi

Is there anything more romantic than relaxing in a hot tub with that special someone, with the lights dimmed and the stars beaming in through the glass ceiling? A wooden surround adorned with candles, a couple of loungers and some ferns and you will have the perfect space where time will stand still and you can escape from it all.

The 3 P's

If you haven't already designed or fitted a conservatory it's probably a good idea to think through all of your long term options before undertaking the work. Planning permission, positioning and purpose are the three most important factors to bear in mind before you begin. There is plenty of good advice on offer from professional conservatory companies, such as Anglianhome.co.uk, so if you're stuff for ideas, you can always ask the experts. Once complete, your conservatory can add value and appeal to your home and make it stand out from the crowd, should the day ever come when you want to sell it, so it's worth putting a little effort into.