In the north-west of the autonomous province of Trento, MoDusArchitects has completed a private residence called Hometown House. The project was created in the Val di Non valley as a holiday home in the Alps. The building refers to the local landscape and the personal story of the owner, who decided to return to his homeland after spending many years outside Italy.
Val di Non valley
The Val di Non is known for its vast orchards of apple trees, stretching across the gently undulating hills around Lake Santa Giustina. The backdrop to this scenery is formed by the UNESCO-listed massifs of the Brenta Dolomites. The new house was built on the outskirts of a small village, surrounded by traditional buildings with light-coloured plasterwork and wooden roofs.
The form and massing of the Hometown House
The residence consists of two mono-pitched volumes joined together. Its layout takes the form of a V open to the south, towards the valley and the lake. The facades are made of treated black larch. Thanks to the vertical boards and mouldings, the house has its own distinctive character. The large glazed areas and the diagonal lines of the volume add further dynamism and differentiate the building from neighbouring buildings.
Porphyry access and entrance
Access to the house is via a narrow road running just outside the village boundary. The driveway is paved with porphyry pavers obtained from the nearby Cembra Valley. The space transitions into an open courtyard overlooking the surrounding landscape and the vegetable and herb garden. The change in paving signals the transition to the entrance area, a sheltered alcove with a central door. A solid larch wooden door knob was also created especially for this project, the form of which follows the plan of the building.
The Alpine House – interior
The ground floor opens up to the south side of the plot with a wide glazing, bringing light into the living area. After crossing the threshold, visitors find themselves in a vestibule that serves as a circulation area. Large slabs of grey porphyry lead to the dining room, the open kitchen and the covered loggia with a beautiful view of the valley. The kitchen is finished with vertical panels of knotless larch, and its centrepiece is a monolithic concrete island juxtaposed with a grey tile backsplash and stainless steel worktop.
Living room and finishing materials
The walls, built-ins and joinery form a visually unified whole, interrupted only by sections of the living room finished in rough plaster with local aggregates. Two low steps lead from the vestibule to the lowered lounge area by the fireplace. A wide porphyry sill running along the glazed facade functions as a seat.
The house in the Alps and its levels
Four double bedrooms are planned for the first floor. The master suite has its own bathroom and a dressing room lit by a large skylight in the roof. One of the smaller bedrooms is connected to it by a door and has a separate bathroom, where the porphyry floor transitions to a bath enclosure located under another skylight. The other two bedrooms, one of which has a private bathroom, share a covered terrace. All rooms are connected by a spacious hall that also serves as a study. The built-in desk and staircase are finished in wood, while a cedar ceiling in a warm red-brown tone fills the entire floor with the scent associated with Alpine construction.
Traditional stube next to the house
At garden level, there is a traditional stube, which is a wooden family room with a kitchen, opening up to the greenery of the plot. Next to it are planned a guest room, a bathroom, a laundry room with technical facilities and a garage accessible from a ramp on the west side of the plot. At the lowest level, completely underground, a wine cellar with a tasting room was located. A curved concrete wall, brick floor and solid larch elements firmly tie this space to the ground.
Locality and craftsmanship in architecture
The material palette has been limited to porphyry, larch and pine. Details and finishes were developed using techniques typical of the Val di Non region. Local contractors and craftsmen were involved throughout the construction process, passing on knowledge of local house-building methods that have been known here for generations.
A house in the Alps with local roots
Hometown House makes a clear presence on a hillside overgrown with apple orchards. Although the building stands out from its surroundings, it also maintains harmony with the local landscape through its form and natural materials. The design references the agricultural surroundings and the idea of hospitality typical of provincial Trentino, creating a contemporary interpretation of a family home in an alpine valley.
Design: MoDusArchitects (Sandy Attia, Matteo Scagnol)
Photography: Marco Cappelletti
Also read: Italy | Single-family house | Wood | Stone | Summerhouse | whiteMAD on Instagram
