Casa a Reggio Emilia / Leonardo Peressa

Casa a Reggio Emilia / Leonardo Peressa

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Text description provided by the architects. Located in a lot just outside the historic center of Reggio Emilia, the building, dating back to the ’50s, appeared rather out of place compared to the neighborhood in which it was located. Built in masonry with load-bearing walls, it was easily recognizable by its roof, whose slope was rather unusual for the region, being of a very pronounced angle.

From the beginning, the main question was whether or not to maintain the existing building, which was actually quite damaged, also as a result of earthquakes that had previously affected the region. After several evaluations, the option of the renovation was chosen, both for the remarkable architecture of the building, and for the fact that conservation was considered more environmentally sustainable than demolition and reconstruction. The project was therefore a combination of rethinking and rationalization of space, seismic renovation, and thermal improvements.

On the ground floor, the load-bearing masonry was partly demolished and partly reinforced, to obtain a new more fluid and free circulation, and a new reorganization of spaces, which are arranged around these bearing walls, which contain from time to time the kitchen, a closet, or the staircase. Always on the ground floor, the realization of a new window has recreated the relationship between the house and the green space outside, which was missing in the existing building, thanks also to a pergola that extends the living room to the front garden.

On the first floor the reconstruction of the wooden roof, made necessary because the existing one was too damaged, has allowed the addition of new volumes and a complete rethinking of the bedrooms and all the floor in general. These new volumes, a bathroom, and a study are then also those that characterize the new shape of the roof.

The client, happy and enthusiastic to collaborate and attentive to environmental choices, has been fundamental for the good realization of the project, that has tried to respond in the best possible way to the technical and practical needs of a new building, through the choice of renovation rather than demolition.