gianluigi moreschi carefully renovates a 17th century apartment in sondrio, italy

architect gianluigi moreschi has lovingly remodeled an apartment dating back to the 17th century in the italian town of sondrio. the existing residence had undergone serveral alterations throughout the years before it was sadly abandoned. with the help of local skilled workers, moreschi has breathed new life into the place with a design that combines the original architectural features with contemporary insertions. 

images by marcello mariana

the aim of the project was to return the apartment to its ‘ancient splendor’. in the main space, which contains the kitchen, dining and living area, the original wood-paneled ceiling and timber beams have been carefully restored by local craftspeople. to modernize the room, gianluigi moreschi has inserted a small mezzanine where residents can relax. the mezzanine is accessible from a custom-made staircase that doubles as handy storage.

the kitchen block was made to order, completely in wood and then lacquered in white to blend in with the purity of the walls, letting the timber ceiling take center stage. together with the client, moreschi paid particular attention to the choice of furnishings, with priority given to ‘made in italy’ brands.

the bathroom uses brushed local stone, which has a beautiful greenish hue. four custom-made slabs were laid with the natural grain of the stone flowing towards the drain of the shower tray. this was only achieved by excavating one of the existing floor slabs. the protective glass is set in the stone without any connecting element to create the look of seamless continuity.

project info:

project name: mgf house

location: sondrio, italy

architect: gianluigi moreschi

photography: marcello mariana

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: lynne myers | designboom