Patio House

Geneva, Switzerland
2018 – 2021

The house is designed around a central open patio as a natural element generating the entire design.
From each room, there is a view to the patio on one side and to the garden on the other side, so that each interior space faces on two sides natural spaces of different scaler and characters.
The building is slightly raised off the ground, to create a space under the house that will allow continuity for nature to grow around and under the house and so the building doesn’t act as a barrier.
We want to connect with nature not just in the morphology of the architecture, but also with the use of local and natural materials: we’re using bricks that are made of soil from the site, and we will paint the walls with clay that will naturally control the humidity inside the house.
The green roof will increase the architecture biodiversity and donate a soft view from the bedroom’s windows on the first floor. Again, the green roof is an essential moment of exchange between nature and architecture, allowing green as bees and butterflies to find the right environment for them.
By creating in-between spaces that expand the inside/outside boundary concept, we are able to meet the needs of the family as well as the other living beings.
The house seats happily in its site also with the introduction of a natural pond and a wild garden.

TEAM
Maurizio Mucciola, Maria-Chiara Piccinelli, Sheenwar Siti, Daria Moussavi, Filippo Tognocchi
Executive Architect: atba architecture + energie, Geneva
Structural Engineer: esm-ingegnerie sa, Geneva