When given international clients, a villa made up of two residential units, a 54,000-square-foot park and a view of one of the most attractive beaches on the coast of Sardinia, Italy, the design team at GAAP Studio was tasked to transform the space into a “family home” to be enjoyed throughout all seasons of the year, as well as maintaining a smooth transition between interior and exterior areas. In addition, it had to be done while fully respecting what was already there. To accomplish the feat, GAAP Studio, comprising three young professionals, chose to bring their stylistic approach to an architectural context that is well defined and strongly linked to tradition.

The original villa, which is made up of two distinct residential units built in the 1970s on an almost 54,000-square-foot lot, originally stood in a large garden that stretched along the natural slope of the hill — completely open to the sea view and surrounding vegetation. The renovation included completely remodeling the existing building, keeping only the supporting structure and expanding it with a new design. The villa was rethought, seeking harmony among the clean and sharp lines of the existing architecture and the soft lines of the natural conformation of the land and rocks. The goal was to use the great chromatic homogeneity that Lapitec offers to create as much continuity as possible between the inside and outside spaces. The final stunning effect “hides” the design and technical solutions made possible by the quality and workability of the full-body sintered stone.

From the beginning, the full-body sintered stone was chosen for the purity of its finishes and colors that make it unique on the market. From the initial design stage, the team at GAAP Studio had imagined using a white stone material with no impurities or veining in it, and which was available in large slabs. For the villa in Sardinia, they opted for Bianco Crema with a satin finish — applied to the interior floors and the wall cladding throughout the living space — and a Vesuvio finish for all of the exterior paving. The colors of “Sahara” and “Tabacco,” with a satin finish, were also used in some of the bathrooms, as well as the spa. This created a strong chromatic continuity between the interior and exterior, between home and nature, leaving the finishes to elegantly differentiate perception of the surfaces. In fact, the satin finish is one-of-a-kind because it is so close to being perceived as a natural element — a perfect balance between its consistency and its velvety touch that makes Lapitec a “warm” material, according to its manufacturer. Moreover, the Vesuvio finish ensures that it is safe to use for flooring, due to its likeness to flamed granite — making its surface less slippery.

For the flooring, a 60- x 30-inch base module was selected, ensuring optimal use of the Lapitec slabs. Each individual piece was adapted to the size of each inside room and an outside space, giving a precise design. Single 8-foot-high, floor-to-ceiling slabs were employed for the walls.

The pool, designed at the home’s front entrance to create scenery between the sky and the sea, has a fluid but geometric and rational design — covering approximately 2,500 square feet. The Lapitec cladding and walkways enhance the design of the stretch of water, creating a visually stunning area. This is primarily thanks to the gentle and Mediterranean shade of “Bianco Crema,” which fits in perfectly with the colors of the landscape. The large slabs have been shaped and bonded to each other to create an effect of great material continuity, which, together with the infinity border, creates an optical horizon that extends to meet the sea. The outside walkway and the entire area in front of the villa reflect the chromatic delicacy of the Bianco Crema, which has been toned down with the slightly more textured Vesuvio finish. The result is an outside environment that expresses intrinsic naturalness. The sintered stone underlines and showcases an architecture that has a strong link with the context: a place that welcomes and hosts — offering peace and inspiration.