set architects

The project began with the clients’ desire to renovate a three-storey building from the 1950s in Gaeta, southern Italy, and transform it into their summer residence.
The brief called for a design that could be realised on a limited budget, while retaining a strong architectural identity with references to the characteristic elements of traditional seaside homes.

The initial phase was devoted to thorough research into Mediterranean architecture, with a particular focus on the vernacular dwellings that define the coastal towns of southern Italy.
As a result of this exploration, white was chosen as the predominant colour, to emphasise the purity of the building’s volumes and the sculptural forms shaped by the area’s warm natural light.

The design establishes a strong connection with the hilly landscape, framed by the presence of the sea in the background.
The intervention introduces a series of carefully considered openings in the façades, offering framed views that capture the surrounding natural scenery.

At the heart of the project is the terrace, conceived as an open-air room enclosed by two tall white walls. These define the space as both intimate and private, despite its open setting.
A large window further enhances the relationship between interior and exterior, allowing the natural landscape to enter the home seamlessly.

Natural light is the central theme of the entire project and is treated with the same importance as the materials themselves.
On the lower floors, it filters through small openings in the building envelope, creating striking contrasts between illuminated and shaded areas.
On the top floor, light floods the interior through a large window, while on the terrace it reflects off the white surfaces, producing the soft, diffuse glow so typical of Mediterranean architecture.