Hidden in the heart of Milan, within a condominium courtyard, Una villa e il suo giardino is a project that redefines the boundaries between private dwelling and urban context, transforming a compact and secluded plot into an intimate and sophisticated residence. The intervention, designed by the Barreca & La Varra studio, is configured as an architecture that silently dialogues with the city, concealed from view and entirely focused on the relationship between built space and nature.
The house develops over three levels, functionally and fluidly organizing domestic life: the living area on the ground floor, in direct contact with the exterior, the sleeping area on the upper floor, and the technical and service rooms in the basement. This rational layout is accompanied by a careful composition of materials and openings, which transform the facade into a dynamic device. The elevation is clad in green Vittoria serpentine marble, a stone with intense veins that gives the house a material and compact image, interrupted by six large sliding windows with concealed frames, designed as “interactive screens” that modulate light, privacy, and view.
Inside, the atmosphere is rarefied and measured: neutral tones, precious materials, custom-designed furniture that combines functionality and elegance. The wooden boiserie, the custom-made furniture elements, and the two kitchens – a service kitchen overlooking the garden and an island kitchen integrated into the living area – speak of a dwelling conceived down to the smallest detail, where every formal choice corresponds to a usage requirement.
The true heart of the project is the relationship with the garden, conceived as a natural extension of the house and articulated into two zones: a “vegetal” one, with pre-existing trees and a water feature, and a “mineral” one, paved, which serves as an outdoor living room and visually extends inwards. This physical and perceptual continuity between interior and exterior is underlined by an advanced technological system, with home automation systems and rooftop photovoltaic panels, which combine aesthetics and sustainability.
Una villa e il suo giardino is not just a house: it is a small urban manifesto within the dense fabric of Milan, on how it is possible to carve out quality, intimate, and contemporary spaces, capable of renewing the meaning of private dwelling.
Barreca & La Varra
The Barreca & La Varra studio, founded in Milan in 2008 by Gianandrea Barreca and Giovanni La Varra, is distinguished by solid experience in urban and architectural design, both public and private. Their works, published and internationally awarded, address complex themes with a design approach that integrates social, aesthetic, and technological dimensions. In 2024, their second monograph, Il superfluo e il necessario, was published by THE PLAN editions.
For more info: www.barrecaelavarra.it
CREDITS
Project: Una villa e il suo giardino
Architect: Barreca & La Varra
Location: Milan (MI), Italy
Year: 2021
Photography: Carola Merello
