Dittico Mediterraneo by Startup Architettura

Within the layered coastal landscape of Alassio, the project Dittico Mediterraneo by Startup Architettura unfolds as a refined exercise in duality and adaptation. Two buildings, distinct yet complementary, reinterpret the tensions between nature, infrastructure, and built memory, transforming site constraints into compositional opportunities.

The first volume, defined by a compact, monochromatic mass, presents itself as an inward-looking architectural device on its northern side. Deeply recessed openings evoke – through abstraction and restraint – the defensive bastions of the Mediterranean, translating a historical reference into a climatic and spatial strategy. The façade thickens into a filter, a protective threshold mediating between interior and exterior.

Toward the south, the building radically shifts its language. A continuous sequence of terraces and projecting balconies establishes a direct relationship with the coastal horizon. Here, the architecture becomes porous and domestic: the rhythm of projections reveals the diversity of residential units, shaping a dynamic façade that engages with light and landscape.

The second building emerges instead as a more compact and material presence. Its trapezoidal volume, clad in dark tones, is generated directly by the compression of the site between railway and hillside. The irregular geometry and almost mineral character suggest an architecture that does not impose itself on the landscape, but rather appears to grow out of it – echoing the rugged, authentic essence of Liguria.

Both buildings employ dry construction systems, prioritizing precision, reversibility, and sustainability. High-performance envelopes and integrated building systems ensure elevated energy standards, reinforcing a forward-looking design approach. As a whole, the project establishes a balance between memory and innovation: an architectural diptych that, through calibrated differences, creates a coherent dialogue with the territory, delivering an intervention that is measured, recognizable, and enduring.