Mestrinaro Architekten

FLAT REFURBISCHMENT, Losone (CH)
On the banks of the Maggia River, nestled between expanses of vineyards and meadows, stands a semi-detached house built in the 1960s.
The firm Mestrinaro Architekten was commissioned to modernise the apartment on the ground floor. The owners, with a view to relocating, had in fact decided to rent out the apartment. The design intervention started with a feasibility study to define the necessary work and guide the clients to calculate the income before and after the intervention in order to establish the budget.
On this basis, the architects intervened with a modernisation of the living areas with a complete¬ly new, contemporary and fully equipped kitchen. The choice of colours fell on a palette of soft tones to recall the original yellow and grey cement tiles. The room is bright and the space enlarged. LED lights in neutral tones have been recessed into the double ceiling, which serves the function of sound insulation between the two inhabited floors.
The living room floor made of dark tiles was covered with a oak wood-effect vinyl, without having to remove the old covering. This room also gained new light and a more comfortable appearance.
What makes this home even more attractive is undoubtedly the spacious garden overlooking the vineyards with an out¬door lounge area.
The energy intervention was limited to the replacement of the windows with triple insulated glass, while the insulation of the roof and façade was postponed to a later date. The electrical system was completely modernised.
The renovation, which lasted just one month, allowed the owners to transform the gloomy rooms into a bright and modern flat without any invasive work.