Enrico Sassi uses Le Corbusier colours in revamp of 1970s house overlooking Lake Lugano
Architect Enrico Sassi has refreshed a mid-century house in Ticino, Switzerland, with new windows, a stainless-steel kitchen and a colour palette dictated by Le Corbusier.
Lugano-based Sassi oversaw a complete renovation of the 1972-built house, originally designed by German studio Unterlöhner + Waibel and located on a hillside in Vernate, overlooking Lake Lugano.
Sassi aimed to revive the original character of the single-storey house, which features distinct elements including an asymmetric gable roof, bare brickwork, and an exposed timber frame.
The most noticeable change was the replacement of the original interior colours with three shades from the Les Couleurs palette devised by modernist architect Le Corbusier, first released in 1931 and extended in 1959.
Instead of the previous blue, yellow and white tones, Sassi specified three colours from the 1959 palette. Bleu Outremer 59, Le Jaune Vif and Blanc Ivoire were all applied in a high-sheen lacquer finish.
The new blue matches the shade favoured by French artist Yves Klein, offering a bolder contrast with the brickwork than the dark hue chosen previously.
This shade was applied to wooden doors and partition walls in the living spaces, while yellow indicates bedrooms and white features in the bathrooms.
"The idea was to maintain the original choice palette, but change the intensity and luminosity," Sassi told Dezeen.
"I am particularly proud of the new blue," he said. "It gives a lot of life and joy, and combines harmoniously with the brick colour."
Sassi oversaw the renovation for a Zurich-based couple who plan to use it as a vacation residence. The couple knew the original owners, which increased the desire to respect the original design.
The layout was kept as it was, with the kitchen and a combined living and dining room at the front of the split-level floor plan, and two bedrooms and bathrooms located half a storey up at the rear.
The renovation mainly focused on the building's energy performance. An air-to-water heat pump was installed in place of the old gas-powered heating system, along with new pipes and radiators, and extra insulation was inserted below the floor slab.
Sassi retained the original wooden window frames but replaced the single-glazing with insulated double-glazing. The only exception was the bathroom, where the windows had to be completely replaced.
The kitchen was most in need of modernisation. The architect opted for stainless steel, creating a clear contrast between new and old.
"Stainless steel is a material that can disappear, reflecting the surrounding colours," he told Dezeen. "No other material or colour would have fitted."
Two-tone ceramic tiles provide a heavy-duty floor surface in both this room and the hallways, while a coconut fibre carpet offers a more textural surface in the living room and bedrooms.
Interior details include curtains made from Marimekko textiles, most strikingly a blue version of the brand's famous Unikko flower print designed by Maija Isola in 1964.
Other standout furnishings include a version of designer Nils Strinning's 1949 String shelves in red, yellow and blue, designer Verner Panton's 1971 Panthella lamps in white, various Danish-designed wooden chairs and tables and a wood-burning stove.
Recent residential Swiss projects featured on Dezeen include a self-built wooden treehouse and a concrete housing block with colourful details.
The photography is by Marcelo Villada Ortiz.
Project credits:
Architect: Enrico Sassi Architetto
Construction company: Bosisio
RCVS systems: Equans Switzeralnd
Carpenter: Cavaleri Carlo
Electrician: Jermini Elettricità
Plumber: Jörg Soldati
Kitchen: Tiba
Plasterer: Willy Robbiani Costruzioni
Painter: SP Color
Locksmith: Bernasconi Renato
Upholsterer: Knupfer arredamenti
Exterior work: Inalbero
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