A few steps from the shores of Lake Mergozzo, immersed in greenery and overlooking the water, a house from the 1960s is reborn through an intervention that combines memory, sustainability, and landscape sensitivity. Designed by Elena Bertinotti, the renovation with expansion is based on a careful reading of the natural context and dialogue with local materials, resulting in a coherent and measured architectural vision.
The project transformed a modest residence into a new, balanced volume that respects the environment and is perfectly integrated with the landscape. The metal cladding, chosen for its chromatic continuity with the surrounding tree trunks, gives the house a sober and camouflaged appearance, almost like a cabin in the woods, to be discovered discreetly along the access road from the north.
The intervention reinterprets some elements of local building tradition in a contemporary key: the gabled roof, wooden facades, and stone walls become tools for a new architectural narrative that maintains roots in the past. The building’s body opens towards the lake through a large wooden terrace, serving as a threshold between interior and landscape, accompanied by an overhanging eaves designed according to bioclimatic principles.
Great attention has been paid to expressive materiality: the larch slats on the facade create light and shadow play that change throughout the day and with the seasons, giving the building a sense of natural vibrancy and vitality.
Constructed with eco-sustainable materials, the house is rated A4 in terms of energy efficiency. A heat pump system, powered by photovoltaics and connected to an energy storage system, ensures energy autonomy and minimal environmental impact, reaffirming the project’s commitment to concrete sustainability. Lake House at Mergozzo is a clear example of how architecture can become landscape without sacrificing identity and the quality of living space. A project where light, material, and nature intertwine in a silent yet powerful narrative.
Elena Bertinotti
After significant collaborations between Milan and Saronno, since 2014 Elena Bertinotti has been working steadily in Mergozzo, leading public and private projects with a strong focus on environmental sustainability and landscape enhancement. In addition to residential and tourist interventions, she has curated notable works for the community and participated in cultural initiatives on landscape, including the “Paesaggi Mirati” exhibition promoted by Asilo Bianco.
For more info: www.elenabertinotti.it
CREDITS
Project: Lake House at Mergozzo
Architect: Elena Bertinotti
Location: Lake Mergozzo (VB), Italy
Year: 2020
Photography: Fabio Oggero
