In northern Italy, on the hills of Bergamo, at Trescore, stands a contemporary private residence surrounded by nature, the result of a project by architect Michele Rubbi.
The geometries of textured volumes intersect to define the structure of this residence that is configured through horizontal and vertical lines; spaces interpenetrate one other and develop following the oblique stretches, diagonal cuts and sharp edges that lend dynamism to the whole, generating cantilever volumes.
The structure is mainly formed by parallelepipeds that intersect: one at the base, in cement, with large windows that run along the entire perimeter, and another, entirely covered with Ipe Lapacho wood by Déco, which engages perpendicularly in the upper part, giving life to a stretched, projecting volume to create a large terrace. The same Ipe Lapacho cladding is used in the wide patio.
The result of this complex volumetric play is a contemporary building that blends harmoniously with its surroundings: the chosen materials, mainly concrete, wood and glass ensure that this architecture, with its pure, geometric forms, does not clash with the natural environment and is firmly set down here as an emblem of quality living space and pleasing interrelations between interior and exterior.
A leading role, in defining the residence’s personality and its place in the overall setting of the neighbouring hills, is played by natural Ipe Lapacho wood by Déco, which has been specially chosen for the outer coating of the upper parallelepiped and the entrance.
This material has been used to completely cover the floors, walls and false ceilings of the two volumes, thus creating a continuity of material and aesthetic over a surface area of around 500 square metres.
Ipe Lapacho comes from the forests of South America: it is a noble wood, hard and compact, and of warm and elegant aspect, whose hallmark is the pleasant tonal shades that make it ideal for blending into a setting where the manifold colors of nature take a leading role all through the year.
Additionally, the KD version (Kiln Dried) ensures maximum durability and stability for exteriors and can actually last for more than 35 years after installation, while remaining immune to moisture, pests and mechanical stress. Because it is particularly dense and compact, this material is in most countries placed in the same fire-resistance class as concrete.
It is these features, plus the warmth of the varying shades of its coloring and its excellent quality-price ratio, that make Ipe Lapacho the most used exotic wood in the world for outdoor applications, which, as in the case of this house, can be carried out just as easily for the installation for floors, walls and false ceilings alike.