buratti architetti adds underground swimming pool to italian house

located in the outskirts of milan, italy, ‘casa luna’ by buratti architetti is a project that stems from the desire of the owner to turn a duplex apartment into his new home, one that fits him, his needs and passions. when entering, a very compressed space showcases all the materials that characterize the ground floor: smoked grey oak, dark heat-treated chestnut wooden sliding panels, boiserie, and a fixed piece of furniture lacquered in striped larch. following this area, the heart of the house opens, exploding the living room with a monolithic black raw iron totem that includes in its shelves a fireplace and TV screen. a big round glass table defines the dining area and introduces the stainless steel kitchen.

walls, floors and ceilings are finished using a warm grey concrete-resin
image © marcello mariana

the whole ground floor is designed by buratti architetti as a composition of spaces linked to each other, never being completely divided, but being able to separate into different subspaces thanks to the moveable wooden panels. the goal of the project is to generate a large interior, not divided into single rooms but open and organized into several functions. as one passes the big shower glass cube, the user enters a more intimate and reserved part of the house called the night area.

the bright volume of the swimming pool stands out as a big glass case
image © marcello mariana

this zone is set as a special tailored suite with three spaces: bed, walk-in closet and bathroom. here the focus is a big central element with three different faces: one with white lacquered striped larch that defines the dressing room; one with a dark mirror composition at the entrance of the night area; and the third one is an all-black matte lacquered item with a bookshelf, a desk, and a TV. the bathroom is not an isolated space, but one that interplays with the other parts of the night area, changing configurations thanks to the wooden sliding panel that can completely close or open it, according to privacy needs.

the water and the lighting give different chromatic atmospheres
image © marcello mariana

the two floors of the house are connected through a staircase with cantilevered wooden steps closed by a double-height pink glass panel. this element links the two different atmospheres of the house and become the special backdrop of the two main spaces. the underground floor is a very peculiar area: an hypogeum space, enclosed and dramatic, where walls, floors and ceilings are finished using a warm grey concrete-resin. in this raw and monochromatic space, the bright volume of the swimming pool stands out as a big glass case, where the water and the lighting give different chromatic atmospheres.

natural and raw materials coexist with shiny surfaces like pink glass
image © marcello mariana

the white stone backdrop hides the service room (bathroom, changing room and shower) and the entrance to the pool, completely covered in black stone, like a narrow dark passage to the clear water. the research of colors, materials, and contrast is very important throughout the project. near natural and raw materials coexist with shiny surfaces like pink glasses, deep green fabrics and yellow in some parts of the furniture, giving to the space, ‘a ray of sunlight’.

the ground floor is designed as a composition of spaces linked to each other
image © marcello mariana

a monolithic black raw iron totem includes in its shelves a fireplace and TV screen
image © marcello mariana

a big round glass table defines the dining area and introduces the stainless steel kitchen
image © marcello mariana

the master bedroom’s focus is a big central element with three different faces, here the shelves and TV
image © marcello mariana

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edited by: juliana neira | designboom