Case Study: A Villa Surrounded by Nature on the Outskirts of New York
The retreat features a kitchen in pastel colors with a Lapitec's sintered stone in Bianco Assoluto.
Surrounded by the beautiful landscape of the Catskill Mountains in New York state, Olive House is DEMO Architects’ response to a client’s request for a home with natural light and panoramic views that doesn’t sacrifice privacy. The result is a compact volume with archetypal forms, built using a system of black panels that took just two days to assemble on site, punctuated by openings designed on the basis of the sun’s path and its relative heat input in the various seasons.
Treated like a block of material to be sculpted, the house is hollowed out at the south facade to frame the view of the adjacent lake and reveals a warm wooden core that comes to life at night thanks to the lighting. The work continues on the east side, with a shaded porch, and near the main entrance, on the opposite side. This pattern of contrasts, enhanced by numerous construction and functional details, makes the architecture unique.
The interior of Olive House is airy, with a high ceiling highlighting the ridge and the second floor overlooking the open living area. And if the envelope finishes are simple and consistent with the surrounding nature, what energizes the environment is the furnishings, developed on a palette of pastel colors and combined together in perfect harmony: from the pink of the vases and coffee table to the yellow and sage green of the two bathrooms, and the sugar paper blue of the kitchen, the focal point of the living area.
Consisting of a wall module faced by an oval island, the kitchen features 12 mm thick Lapitec Bianco Assoluto countertops in satin finish, cut perfectly flush with the volumes of the furniture. The sintered stone is a completely natural mineral-based material, which undergoes a mechanical process to offer high performance. It is non-porous on the surface and non-absorbent, hygienic and perfect for contact with food, easy to clean, resistant to scratches and temperatures, and does not alter due to UV rays. Lapitec is also silica-free, free of resins, glues, inks or other petroleum derivatives, and has a ‘full body’ composition, thus identical throughout its thickness.
In Olive House, it was also used in the bathroom for the vanity top of the cabinet containing the washbasin. Here, Bianco Assoluto, in harmony with the soft green of the ceramic tiles, dialogues with the taps and fittings and other decorative details, creating a bright environment with a soft, contemporary look.
Lapitec: A Sintered Stone
The result of a production process covered by 25 patents, Lapitec is a material used in architecture, interior and product design, made from a mixture of 100% natural mineral materials and free of resins, inks and petroleum derivatives. Entirely free of crystalline silica thanks to the use of Biorite — a mineral component patented by the company, which makes it safe and even more sustainable, Lapitec’s large slabs come in three thicknesses (12, 20 and 30 mm), 18 shades and six surface finishes. Lapitec is a ‘full-body’ sintered stone, identical on the inside and the outside with no enamel or digital printing on the surface, a characteristic that allows it to be processed throughout its thickness, with consistency in appearance and performance. Nonporous on the surface, it is also resistant to temperature changes, frost and high temperatures, UV rays, scratches, chemicals and can be used in direct contact with water. Its high performance, sustainability and availability in XXL sizes make it extremely versatile for use in ventilated facades and roofing, indoor and outdoor horizontal and vertical surfaces, swimming pool cladding and yacht upholstery, and kitchen and table tops.
About the company
Lapitec, an entrepreneurial idea of Marcello Toncelli, was founded in Veneto in 1989 after more than twenty years of scientific research, testing and certifications. Today it is present in over 70 countries worldwide with a material that is 100% Made in Italy, beautiful and exclusive, as well as sustainable, both in terms of the raw materials used and the various stages of the production process.
The technology partnership with the parent company Breton, a leading manufacturer of systems for the production of stone materials and natural agglomerates, ensures the safety of the production chain, giving life to a product with unique performance qualities. Learn more at www.lapitec.com.
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