For the planning of a family villa, an interview with the clients is normal practice: in the case of Villa Comano, the architect’s longstanding friendship with the clients allowed him to understand their needs and their deepest desires for the villa. The clients had two particular requests: the possibility in the future of making part of the villa independent in order to provide a home for the husband’s substantial collection of contemporary art, and an ample, fully-equipped kitchen with a view over the valley and Lake Lugano. As an excellent cook, the client’s wife rightly wanted the kitchen to be a pleasant working environment. The volumes on two floors of the building include two wings which, with the swimming-pool, define the external space. Towards the driveway the façade has very few windows, which creates a sense of protection. The slight curve of the wall of the upper floor softens the rigid effect of the design. The south facades face the gulf and the hills, a fitting acknowledgement of the remarkable location. The design of the villa embodies all the planning criteria that the architect holds most dear: an arrangement of spaces that manages to create separate areas while also opening up a continuous play of perspectives. Attention to detail and the choice of materials contribute to the deliberate sense of rigour and create a modulated luminosity in the rooms in order to give as much visibility as possible to the important works of art. The use of large windows allows an exchange between interior and exterior: here one can feel part of nature and appreciate the passing of the seasons. The project was closely followed by the couple’s daughter Guya.
Giampiero Camponovo, Guya Camponovo
2004
Comano
Projects, Villas