CSR
2024.11
House Cisore. A rediscovered retreat
Cisore, IT
Alpine House
102sqm
Hidden among the folds of the Alps, in the quiet
of the historic village of Cisore, the restoration
project has brought life and memory back to a
house that tells centuries of history.
We are in northern Piedmont, just a step away
from Domodossola, surrounded by a landscape
that seems stolen from a canvas: mountains
whispering ancient stories of the border between
Italy and Switzerland, influences that blend the
essential Walser character of Val Formazza with
the vibrant brushstrokes of the painters from Valle
Vigezzo.
It is a place that can be reached (also) on foot: a journey that starts in Milan, where the client resides, travels through time on a train to Domodossola, and concludes with a walk along an old mule track, leading to Cisore—a paradise as remote as it is accessible.
The house at the center of our project preserves
family memories: once the home of the client’s
grandparents, it had been abandoned for over
twenty years.
However, its distinctive features
were still alive, and the project aimed to respect,
preserve, and enhance them, as if they were relics
of a past time.
The greatest challenge was spatiality. The original house was dark, cold, and made up of isolated rooms, as was often the case in ancient mountain homes.
Our vision, on the other hand, focused on bringing light and openness, creating depth and connection between spaces. Strategic openings, and precise architectural solutions allowed light to flood every corner.
We decided to give more prominence to the staircase, steep and imposing, a central element leading to the bedroom floor and maintaining its strong character.
Without opening
the portals, it would have remained trapped
between two walls.
Instead, these openings—
created to bring light and depth into the spaces,
connecting the living room and the kitchen—have
made the staircase the protagonist, a central
element of the architectural narrative.
The kitchen, with its monumental fireplace—the beating heart of the house—has been transformed into a cozy living room, a place for conversation and dinners with friends.
Every detail—from the larch, walnut, and chestnut floors
and ceilings to the patina of time enveloping every
surface—was treated with artisanal care.
The
beams, blackened by soot or whitened with lime
over the centuries, have been brought back to life,
sanded and smoothed by expert hands.
The red of the pompeian resin, accompanied by dark iron elements such as the stair railing and beams supporting the walls where portals were opened, served as the fil rouge, highlighting the explicit contemporary interventions.
Moving to the upstairs sleeping area, in keeping
with the balance between tradition and modern
use, the house originally had only a small external
bathroom. We therefore had to carve out space
to include a bathroom—small but complete.
Here, too, the bathroom adopts the same red/bordeaux tone as the entire floor of the new, unified ground-level space.
The roof's essence is revealed through
a glass hatch, providing access to the attic while
transforming the scenic stone roof into a lantern
for the small bedroom.
Every object, painting, or
photograph found within the house inspired the
project, turning memory into architecture.
The piode di beola roof, a masterpiece of
centuries-old tradition, has also been restored,
maintaining its grandeur.
Though tough on the
outside—solid and heavy, made of local stone—
it hides a welcoming wooden heart, which can
become a cool extra bedroom for the hot summers
or a playful space.
Finally, addressing the outdoor space, the
intervention was carried out in the most natural way, respecting the historic village.
Stone, natural lime plaster, and a lovely vine of American grapes, integrated with the one that miraculously survived abandonment (and the construction site), frame the context.
An olive tree and jasmine, together
with wild tufts and aromatic herbs scattered
here and there, surround the beautiful stone
table, which finally returns to host breakfasts and
summer dinners.
Thanks to the lifesaving shade of the vine, even lunches find a pleasant, cool refuge outdoors.
Today, Cisore is not just a restored house: it is a
place that breathes memory and looks to a new
present, a living testament to how architecture
can preserve the soul of a place and the people
who lived there.
A bright and welcoming refuge
where tradition and innovation meet to tell a new
story.
CREDITS
Client: Private
Typology: Alpine house
Place: Borgata Cisore, Domodossola. Italy
Year: 2024.11
Sqm: 102
Architecture Design: ATOMAA
Design Team: Andrea Del Pedro Pera, Umberto Maj, Cesare Galligani, Samantha Furlotti, Sofia Badessi, Giulia Barilli
General contractor: Alberto Giozza
Carpenters: Cappellini Cucine, Roncoroni
Photographer: Alberto Strada