7 September 2015

A short distance from Milan, in northern Brianza, stands the Piscina del Roccolo, an elegant house extension and swimming pool designed by Act Romegialli, an architectural practice founded by Gianmatteo Romegialli, Angela Maria Romegialli and Erika Gaggia van Hardeveld. The glazed pavilion, conceived as a space for relaxation, is adjacent to the main residence, a house in the Art Nouveau style built to serve the roccolo or blind used by trappers of birds perched on the hill that dominates the estate. After a careful topographic survey of the site, to determine the location of the pool, the studio created an independent underground structure that exploits the natural differences in height of the park without interfering with the view of the surroundings. The main house is linked with the pool by an underground passage that follows an irregular course and cleverly avoids the tall trees already growing there. The sunken space has large glass doors that slide out of sight and open onto the small artificial lake with a view embracing the whole of the park. The supporting structure consists of steel plates positioned outside the perimeter to ensure depth and lightness, as well as greater energy efficiency in every season. The interior is characterized by sinuous lines, accompanied by the neutral colors of the ceramic tiles used for the mosaic flooring, with no break between the interior and exterior of the pool. In addition to the swimming pool, the area houses changing rooms, fitness and relaxation facilities and a small kitchen, organized in geometric volumes of oak wood and raw concrete.

Photos: Marcello Mariana