appartamento ziano di fiemme

a design for a small apartment in a 200+ year old building

situated in northern italy in the region of trentino this is an area famous for its fine quality timber including stradavarius violins and its year round sports culture.  the apartment will respect the historic nature of the centre of this small town while providing a warmth and cosiness through the use of natural materials and changing ceiling heights. 

note: all work and photos relating to my architecture has been produced by me and as such copyright remains with wyattdesign

since june 2007 it has been a process of negotiation, firstly with our nieghbours in order to make sence of the old way the building has been divided up.  we have had to compromise some parts and them as well.  we are now on the way with this with an agreement and now just the submission of the final plan to go into to be registered and signed off - but its not easy going from talk to a signature on the paper.  with this being historic centre we have been subjected to some pretty strict regulations on what we can do with the external appearance.  The idea is noble but the way the town commune (council) goes about this is a bit random.  our neighbouring building has had huge balconies at roof level put in place and for us they are saying no to anything external at all.  it is like this in italia and it certainly pays to know somebody in the right place! 

      click on the thumbnail above to view a larger version of the drawing

         these images show some of the plans - current plans available on request

kitchen island bench detail from april 2008

here are a few construction images, to show how the work is going.  it is not easy working in a 200+ year old building and things need to be done carefully - with the structure able to support itself while floors, and walls are removed.  first the buildings underground vaults are reinforced, then new floors poured with supporting columns and a ringbeam to tie all the old external walls in place.  Extra tricky is getting vertical elements in the right place because the chimney from the neighbour downstairs must pass through our part and likewise our plumbing and electrics must go down through theirs.

rogress on site: the demolition phase, then constructing the concrete floors inside the old walls including massive concrete footings in the cellar (far right)

progress from the middle of june, first floor level and second floor levels

 preparing concrete beams and infill on the second floor level - june 2009

 progress from the second floor level with new roof beams - july 2009

a project in a country with different rules and a different way of doing things is challenging.  a problem with the finish of the roof timber has just become apparent and it's expensive when mistakes are made - this one to our cost and will mean some hours of sanding back the beams to achieve the desired finish - it's lucky i will have plenty of time come october 2009!  from august the windows and plumbing, heating and electrical systems will need to be installed, stairs constructed on 3 levels and a new balcony.  only then can we start to think about kitchens and bathrooms and room finishes!

free of scafolding for the first time in 6 months!  and just before the winter.  the windows, shutters and plastering for the bottom are still be completed

but it's starting to look a bit less of a building site (the downpipe (left) will be fixed as well as the wires).  november 2009.

as of spring 2010 (that is european spring) we have ploughed ahead with some more building and it's nice to see the progress coming along.  we had the good idea to do a garage into the cellar (where there is the small window (left photo).  neighbours were not too happy (they thought we were coming in with a noisy lamborghini or something similar at 2 o'cock in the morning) and we had a lot of luck to get the permission to do this from the local council so we have blasted a hole in the wall.

 cellar being plastered and heating tubes going in and the work reinstating the paving outside - it's may 2010, will we be finished by may 2011?

contact jonathan from wyatt design with an inquiry