Negotiating the Thresholds Between Inside and Out, Preservation and Intervention

The building has a square floor plan with a four-pitched tiled roof featuring two triangular attic openings. The openings are framed with stone and fitted with wooden shutters. The main entrance is centrally positioned within a recessed niche, a feature typical of urban residential typologies in the region. The entrance space provides direct access to all rooms and acts as the central hub. The main courtyard is located at the southeast end of the plot, historically used for various domestic activities, including the operation of a small animal shelter or utility space.

The proposal focuses on the preservation of the existing structure through carefully considered, minimal interventions that harmonize the building with the current needs of its owners while generating an organic connection with the outdoor courtyard space. This effort addresses both the limitations and the creative opportunities associated with intervening in a listed structure. It reflects a broader architectural aim: to embed contemporary design thinking within a traditional envelope, despite regulatory, spatial, and budgetary constraints. It explores the modern dwelling framed by the physical and historical layers of traditional construction. The entrance space serves as the dining area, followed by a functional kitchen that includes an island, a small dining table, and a suspended auxiliary structure. The entrance axis is gently projected toward the courtyard, in an effort to reduce the inherent introversion of the typology and open the interior toward outdoor social interaction.

Conservation work prioritized the reuse of original materials — such as frames, floors, wall infill, ceilings, and tiles — wherever possible. Structural improvements, especially to the roof, were implemented using a composite timber system with traditional elements and modern supports. All mechanical installations were carefully integrated into the building. A key design gesture is the combination of the glazed extension panels, which open away from the main structure, and the pergola system. Additional insertion of spaces such as bathrooms, where executed with light material, crowned with glazed panes. The kitchen was also designed with light materials. The existing grapevine in the courtyard is extended into a light pergola structure of wood and steel, creating a spatial and visual link between the traditional and new elements. The independent extension is built with concrete, punctuated the previous location of the auxiliary spaces for livestock.