STOCKER LEE ARCHITETTI
Architects: Stocker Lee Architetti
Photos by: Bruno Augsburger & Stocker Lee Architetti
Typology: Housing
Location: Rancate
Date: 2011
The two family house is located in Rancate, a district of Mendrisio which is situated among vineyards in the south of the canton Ticino. The volume sits on a long and nar- row strip of grass at the end of a small residential street. Two mirrored units are defining two bases, each hous- ing the entrance and the guest room. The empty space between the two volumes, a portico, opens views of the surrounding landscape, emphasizing transparency and lightness.
The backbone of the building is a long, narrow staircase that connects all floors. The sleeping area is located in the lower floors while the living area, the heart of the house, is located on the generous upper floors which en- joy views and light. The living room has a greater height that underlines its importance in the home. In the third floor there is a studio and a rooftop terrace. The studio area, exposed on four sides, is illuminated by a different light at any time of the day. An interior window allows natural light to spread to the living room below, softly il- luminating the blue concrete walls.
The zinc-titanium exterior coating wraps around the fa- cade, the roof and the portico, creating a uniform outer shell. Depending on the seasons and the weather, ranging from the strong rays of the southern sun to the soft gray of a rainy day, the colour of the metal constantly chang- es, fading from dove-blue to silver-gray and pale-green.