A Historic Residence in the Center of Verona Featuring Lapitec
The renovation project was undertaken by Michele Perlini and shows the qualities of sintered stone in the kitchen.
A few steps from Verona Arena stands Phil House, a 280-square-meter apartment that underwent interior and energy-efficient renovations in 2022, carried out with due regard for its historical value, which is protected by landscape and monument constraints. The residence’s characteristics are still the project’s focal point; all the living spaces are uniformly covered by seminato flooring, while the wooden ceiling is coffered and the walls feature frescoes at the top, now enhanced by indirect museum-like lighting.
“One of the client’s requirements was to improve the thermal and energy performance of the rooms,” recalled architect Michele Perlini. “We couldn’t intervene on the envelope, so we opted for a calcium silicate box on the inside to insulate the room and at the same time prevent the formation of mold. In this way, we softened and unified the spaces without affecting their character.”
On this neutral envelope, custom-designed geometric furnishing elements, from backlit oak wall units to bookcases, cupboards and the oriental-inspired sofa, are arranged as if on a blank canvas.
In line with the choice is the kitchen, overlooking the living room and composed of three asymmetric black volumes sartorially inserted into the space. The zones for washing and cooking, preparation, and, lastly, storage, are designed to optimize the workflow and allow for a fluid and harmonious process.
The style of the room begins with the choice of top: two large slabs of 12 mm thick Lapitec Nero Assoluto Velluto, made unique by a micro-graininess of the surface that is almost silky to the touch. The material is unique on the market and made in Italy. It was chosen by the architect for its technical performance and environmentally friendly nature, Lapitec being a sintered stone that is nonporous, easy to clean, and ideal for contact with food. Ultra-resistant and potentially eternal, it is free of crystalline silica and can be reintroduced into the production process in the event of disposal.
The home’s sleeping area consists of two bedrooms with respective bathrooms and a study, extending over smaller, more intimate rooms. The herringbone parquet flooring dialogues with wooden partitions that only ideally separate the wellness area, with a design approach that evokes the trends of luxury hospitality.
Finally, the technological component is not missing. The residence is accessed directly from a private lift, while a mechanical ventilation system manages the space from a thermal and hygrometric point of view, and constantly purifies the air.
“Nature is the source of inspiration for our work,” explained Perlini. “There’s nothing better than a project that starts from nature and returns to it.”
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