In the hills of Reggio Emilia, a rural house revives with new spaces and an infinity pool

In the hills of Reggio Emilia, among gentle slopes and rural courtyards, Studio Bocchi has carried out a renovation and expansion of a twentieth-century country house respecting the original construction characteristics but without sacrificing a clearly recognizable contemporary touch. The two-storey stone building, which had already undergone renovation and consolidation work (including the replacement of the roof, the addition of a concrete and wood porch on the east side, and the construction of reinforced concrete terraces in the garden facing the valley), lacked space on the ground floor for daytime activities and service for the bedroom, and the outdoor spaces were underused.   The intervention, which mainly involved the ground floor and the garden, introduced a new volume on the east side, in place of the existing porch, to house the new dining/living area and a wellness area for the bedroom: the lightweight volume, with a cor-ten effect aluminium metal structure and large windows, creates a clear but pleasant contrast with the imposing old masonry and allows an uninterrupted visual connection with the surrounding landscape.  

Outside, a redefinition of access paths, connections and green areas improves the use and funcrioning of the house: the main entrance, highlighted by a new metal pergola supporting climbing plants, has been moved from the east front to the north end of the extension, freeing the adjacent area from fences to allow independent access for vehicles through the courtyard.
An infinity pool, cantilevered over the ridge, and new green surfaces born from the extension of the terraced system with reinforced earth, encourage outdoor activities and invite to enjoy the countryside.

Inside, rooms with a distinctly contemporary feel welcome guests into the intimacy of the home, where the rough, textured surfaces of the existing materials (exposed stone walls and wooden beams, reclaimed and reused in the flat roof of the extension) coexist with the neutral, delicate finishes of the floors and the simple yet elegant furnishings.