Cannatahasintervenedaslittleaspossiblewith
theoriginalinteriorwalls.Theadditionofa second
level– a boxslottedintothestructure– isa ring
beamthatservesasseismicstrengthening,essential
inanareapronetoearthquakes.Thestoneinterior
wallshavebeenleftasa feature,whichmakesfor
interestinganglesandvolumechanges.They’ve
beensupplementedbyboard-formedconcrete
wallsanda staircaseleadinguptothemainbedroom.
I’mremindedofCarloScarpa’smuseuminterventions
- inthewaythesenewwallsandpartitionsare
consciouslymarkedasadditions.Infact,Cannata’s
architecturalthesisexploredthelinksbetween
JapanandScarpa’swork.
Thestonecaravanideacanbereadinthehome’s
entrance,whichopensintothekitchen– a 3 x 3.3
metrespacethat’smodestbutgenerous,withallits
proportionsjustso.ThislowerlevelincludesMia’s
bedroom,a petitelivingroomandbathroom.Clever
storageniches,hiddenopeningsandcustomfurniture
carryonthecaravanconcept.Upstairs,custom-made
wardrobesarebasedonchild-sizedIkeaunits.A
concealeddoorfromthekitchenopensintothe
bathroom,whichisfullheightat4.5metres–
a generoussmallroom.It wasoriginallythekitchen
andblackmarksfromthestovehavebeenleftvisible,
likea plumeofsmokerisingupthewall.
Cannata’sinterventionsareasclosetozerocarbon
emissionsaspossible,withNearZeroEnergyBuilding
(NZEB)status.Heatingiselectricandmostlyunder
floor,witha back-upheatpumpusedonlya few
monthsoftheyear.Thelightingisalllow-emission
LED.Solarpanelsheatthewater,whichcangetupto
80 degreesinsummer.Photovoltaicpanelswillcome
laterintheyear.Watercomesfroma pyramidalcistern
whichdatestowhenthehousewasbuilt.Thissupplyis
toppedupwithanartesianwellsharedwithCannata’s
parents’house.They’llsoonbeindependentand
off-grid – their own “private little kingdom”.
LeftProportionsinthe
kitchenarejustso,with
heightcontributing
generosityofscale.
RightMiamakeslight
workoftheclimbing
wall in her room.
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