This contemporary home design sits on a hillside surrounded by native oak and olive trees in the midst of a rocky terrain in Ostuni. Located about eight kilometers from the coast, Casa M-101 was completed in 2017 in the province of Brindisi, within the region of Italy’s Apulia, by local Architects Corsaro Architetti.
This modern home is almost completely see through from its middle section. Floor to ceiling windows allow plenty of natural light to flood in throughout the day. Thanks to the abundance of glass, views from the open plan living and dining areas look out over the grassy yards dotted with regional plantations, namely the olive trees and oaks, which provide a picturesque backdrop for this contemporary Italian country house.
The cottage-style residence was made to host a single family, yet there is enough space for having friends or family over. As explained by Corsaro Architetti, “the building features two protruding horizontal slabs that float in parallel to form the “portico”, a shaded area protected from the weather and from which to contemplate the view. At the rear, a garden surrounded by dry stone walls creates a protected area (hortus conclusus), a more intimate space for guests staying in the house”.
The backside garden features a narrow patio which extends the entire length of the building. From there, a wooden plank walkway leads down to the infinity pool that looks over expressive views of the local landscape.
It was important for the architects to focus on the natural location and the landscape and they strived to use mainly local materials; “a desire to leave the site untouched led to the idea for a “suspended house” that sits on the plot without touching it. The technological solutions chosen to ensure high standards of energy efficiency have been integrated and harmonised to achieve an uncompromising architectural result. The use of local materials such as limestone and oak, as well as elements that refer to local building traditions, such as dry stone walls, establish a relationship with the land without interrupting continuity.”
