Villa MARETNA, designed by Atelier Iraciarchitetti & Partners, stands between the deep blue of the Ionian Sea and the silent power of Mount Etna. The project embodies the Mediterranean spirit of living through an architecture rooted in Sicilian territory, reinterpreting its landscape, chromatic, and sensory codes. Located in Riposto, in the province of Catania, the villa unfolds on a single horizontal level that follows the natural slope of the terrain.
Large floor-to-ceiling windows dissolve the boundaries between interior and exterior, mirroring the sea and returning to the house the ever-changing hues of the sky and light. The entrance is conceived as a gradual experience of discovery: a short sequence of steps leads to a light wooden volume that welcomes and filters light, introducing the domestic dimension. From here, the main space opens -a large open-plan area where living, kitchen, and dining coexist in visual continuity.
Natural light is the organizing element of the project. It gently penetrates the interiors, gliding across surfaces, shaping volumes, and revealing their material essence. The polished concrete floor, the natural wood paneling, and the matte white walls define a tactile and contemplative language.
Custom-made furnishings enhance the perception of space, allowing shadows, proportions, and light to construct the visual narrative of the house. The kitchen appears as a light monolith suspended between inside and outside: the stone countertop dialogues with the wide horizontal window that frames the garden like a living painting.
Every detail -from the integrated handles to the design of the zenithal light- is calibrated to preserve visual and functional continuity. The bedrooms open toward the landscape through large glass openings: upon waking, the gaze extends across palm trees and the line of the sea, while the morning light rests on neutral fabrics and pale wooden surfaces.
Outdoors, the swimming pool stretches like a suspended line of water, reflecting the sky and the architecture into a single luminous surface. A wooden pergola casts shifting shadows that mark the passing hours, accompanying outdoor life through moments of calm and conviviality. The garden, designed with a Mediterranean sensibility, alternates grassy surfaces, lava stones, and native plants, restoring an authentic and archaic image to contemporary Sicily.
For more information, visit www.iraciarchitetti.com
CREDITS
Project: Villa MARETNA
Studio: Atelier Iraciarchitetti & Partners (Antonio Iraci)
Location: Riposto (CT), Italy
Year: 2024
