this house in sicily is a domestic eden with a rooftop pool overlooking the horizon

the milanese firm DAP studio created this one-story living space, with large windows that open onto nature, located in the fascinating landscape of north-eastern sicily, italy, between citrus groves and lava ash. the design intervention initially was the renovation of the external areas surrounding the main house in the center of the vast agricultural property. in addition to this, a few meters away, there was a swimming pool to be completed, resting on a partially underground agricultural tool shed.

images by ©lamberto rubino

DAP studio hence suggested enhancing this seemingly secondary area and transforming it into a space for living and hospitality. an intimate refuge and an observatory on the landscape. the fusion between architecture and nature was the basis of this project, few elements with an essential design have the function of defining an interior space that maintains a strong visual and material continuity with the surrounding landscape.

the result is a small house inserted into the hillside, with a rooftop swimming pool overlooking the sea and large windows that open onto the surrounding countryside. the rearward position of the windows generates a covered patio bordered by sunshade panels which, thanks to a sliding, rotating, and folding mechanism, can close partially filtering the light with different inclinations or open completely.

the technical compartment serving the swimming pool is delimited by a fixed cladding in vertical strips which integrates with the sunscreen system in order to generate a continuous front. the living space is continuous, with a few elements that define the different functional areas in a fluid way. the living and sleeping areas are filtered by furniture elements and sliding panels. few materials that echo those present on the outside have been used internally; wood as wall cladding and in the slats of the false ceiling, lava stone covering the back wall in continuity with the external dry stone walls, and gray grit floor echoing the gravel present in the garden.

project info:

name: villa in sicily, an observatory on the landscape

designers: DAP studio/elena sacco – paolo danelli

location: sicily, italy

photography: lamberto rubino

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: yasmina karam | designboom