Luis Contreras and
Patricia Urquiola
Few hotels have balanced impact and
discretion as masterfully as Il Sereno (W*212),
the first collaboration between hotelier Luis
Contreras and architect Patricia Urquiola.
Opened in August 2016, it was the first new
structure to be built on the shores of Italy’s
Lake Como in 70 years, but its rationalist
references (inspired by local architect
Giuseppe Terragni) made it appear instantly
at home. The pair met several years ago,
when Contreras’ parents attended a talk by
Urquiola in Miami. ‘It was a reconnaissance
mission: they wanted to see me in action
before approaching me for the project,’ she
explains. The Spanish architect was enlisted
to work on the hotel’s interiors, but after
visiting the site, she proposed a more holistic
approach and staked a claim on both the
architecture and the interiors. ‘The lake is
all about integrity,’ says Urquiola. ‘Having
multiple interlocutors on the building
would have made the project confusing.’
There was still plenty of room for
collaboration: Patrick Blanc was asked to
create the green spaces (largely vertical, given
the location’s topography). Contreras and
Urquiola also worked together on a wooden
boat for the hotel, produced by local company
CONTRERAS AND URQUIOLA
IN THE 16TH-CENTURY VILLA
PLINIANA ON LAKE COMOCollaborations to date
Il Sereno, Lake Como, 2016
Urquiola’s striking, rationalist-inspired structure
comprises a series of loggias topped by a flat
garden roof. The interior colour palette nods
to the lakeside surroundings
Villa Pliniana, Lake Como, 2016
A 16th-century residence turned into a suite
with hotel service, with interiors by UrquiolaCantiere Ernesto Riva, with a 1940s-inspired
design. ‘From the start of the project, while
we were solving complex structural problems,
we were also adding more personal touches
throughout the building,’ says Urquiola.
‘The way we worked, it almost felt like I
was creating a private villa for the family.’
Just as they were finishing the hotel,
Urquiola and Contreras began working on a
second property on Lake Como. The hotelier
had spent hours sailing the lake to explore
its surroundings and had happened upon
Villa Pliniana. Built in 1570, the property lay
largely unused on the lake shore, about 1km
away from Il Sereno. He became friends with
the owners and obtained a lease for the villa.
Contreras worked with Urquiola to create
what he calls ‘a 90,000 sq m hypersuite’,
a private residence with hotel service, also
rented out for private events. While the
building’s historical character was left mostlyunaltered, Urquiola added contemporary
furnishings and a neutral palette. The
architect insists that it was the collaborative
element of the project that made it so special.
‘It was a creative encounter at a level that is
higher than business,’ she explains. ‘For me,
this is the new way to realise quality projects.’
Rosa Bertoli
patriciaurquiola.comPHOTOGRAPHY: PHIL DUNLOP ∑ 151
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