The Italian design studio of Mama Architettura ed Ingegneria has been working on the renovation and extension of an early 1900s private residence located near the north wall of the Treviso historic center. The team of architects planned the timely restoration of the external walls of the main building, while the interiors — from foundations to roof — were all designed with a contemporary flare. Moreover, the rear of the house was extended with a new wooden structure clad in tiles of Lapitec® — a sintered stone material. The result is a structure that unites the past with the future, while still maintaining the beauty of the original historic building.

When studying the residential design, there are obvious harmonious dualities between the historic and contemporary home. The two structures of the residence are connected by a staircase, which starts from the historic building and leads to the new extension. In the case of the latter, the architectural studio went for a modern style, with a flat roof, straight angular lines and square windows alternated by smaller rectangular windows — all designed to create a new and interesting feature on the historic Treviso landscape.

For the external finishes of the historic building, the studio opted for a beige-tone Marmorino — a plaster dating as far back as Roman times that can be finished via multiple techniques for a variety of matte, satin and glossy final effects — whereas, the new building was completed using a different solution. To create the contemporary look of the addition, a wooden structure was covered in Lapitec — providing a distinctive choice for the creation of a ventilated facade.

Due to the material’s characteristics, the design team chose two varying finishes — the rough and dynamic “Arena” and ultra-smooth “Urban.” All the large sintered stone slabs measure 12 mm thick and have been fitted using the Kerf system, which was invented by the installation firm of Antonello Finiture. In terms of the aesthetic, to complement the historic building as much as possible, the architects went for the soft tones of Bianco Crema and Roma, creating an alternating chromatic effect that changes depending on the light at the different times of day.

From a technical perspective, Lapitec was selected because it is an ideal material for exterior facades of every kind. The full-body, sintered stone slabs are perfectly flat, and all have the same thickness — simplifying the assembly process and providing a uniform aesthetic. Furthermore, the material is highly durable due to its resistance to more extreme temperature variations and the damaging effects of ultraviolet rays. Additionally, Bio Care technology, which uses titanium dioxide in the production process, characterizes Lapitec with self-cleaning anti-bacterial properties, which are fundamental qualities for outdoor use.