House on Lake Como, elegance estate by J. Mayer H.Architects

Architecture Design of House on Lake Como

Description About The Project

House on Lake Como, a historic 18th-century villa, designed by J. Mayer H. Architects, showcases a seamless blend of timeless charm and modern luxury. The villa’s exterior walls extend gracefully to the water, featuring a small harbor connected to the boat garage beneath the house. With a 180-degree panoramic view from east to west, the villa is bathed in sunlight throughout the year, offering breathtaking vistas from every angle.

The octagonal structure of the villa has withstood the test of time, remaining almost untouched until its conventional renovation in 2019. The recent renovation aimed to reclaim the unique character of the house and garden while integrating new elements into the historic structure, creating an engaging dialogue between the past and present. All existing surfaces, built-in furniture, and functional objects were preserved and unified with a monochromatic paint scheme for each room. The glossy finish highlights irregularities and signs of wear, revealing the villa’s layered history.

Rooms facing the lake are painted in light colors to capture radiant light and reflect the water’s reflections on the ceiling, while rooms facing away are painted in darker blue and brown tones, creating calm, introverted retreats even in the blazing summer sun. Special objects, such as character-rich furniture, marble elements in the bathrooms, and unique lighting fixtures, were added to the monochromatic backdrop in the second phase of the renovation.

Originally, the main rooms on the living floor featured ceiling frescoes of varying quality, with only the fresco in the oval fireplace room remaining. As a nod to the past, Parisian painter Matthieu Cossé designed the ceilings of the two mirrored corner rooms, housing the kitchen and study.

The villa’s exterior was carefully refined, maintaining the original facade color and adjusting the window frames and surrounds to match. New awnings and green shutters add complementary accents. The garden, while retaining many existing elements, was completely redesigned. The existing pool was lined with regional greenish stone and bordered by a wide seating edge. A sculpture by Tony Matelli enhances the garden on the opposite side of the villa.

In addition to the boat garage, a new dock was added to accommodate larger boats. The grotto was expanded to include showers and changing rooms, designed to evoke a cave-like atmosphere, complete with a fountain featuring water lilies and fish. The former ice cellar was transformed into a custom stainless steel garden kitchen, crafted in collaboration with Ertl and Zull from Berlin. The garden’s planting includes dense evergreen shrubs, fruit trees, and banana plants. Climbing plants will strengthen the connection between the house and garden over time.

The Architecture Design Project Information:

• Project Name: House on Lake Como
• Location: Italy
• Project Year: 2024
• Designed by: J. Mayer H. Architects

The House on Lake Como Gallery:

Text by the Architects: The historic 18th-century villa is situated in a prime location on the shores of Lake Como. Its exterior walls extend to the water, and a small harbor is connected to the boat garage under the house. With a 180-degree panoramic view from east to west, the house is bathed in sunlight throughout the year. The octagonal villa survived the centuries almost untouched until it was conventionally renovated in 2019. The current renovation for a family of five aimed to reclaim the unique character of the house and garden, while integrating new elements into the historic structure in an engaging dialogue.

Photo credit: David Franck | Source: J. Mayer H. Architects

For more information about this project; please contact the Architecture firm :
– Add: Knesebeckstrasse 30 10623 Berlin
– Tel: +49 (0)30 644 90 77 0
– Email: contact@jmayerh.de

More Projects in Italy here:

• House ML+M+R in Italy by Filippo Caprioglio – Caprioglio Architects
• House in the Riverside, Nice Renovation by MACHINA Architetti Associati
• Fluid Home with flexible multifunctional spaces in Italy by Alessandro Isola

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