The lives of others

Stone, concrete, glass and iron, an old building near La Spezia. A new abode for the past – and future

An intuition, a love story. And a very precise design vision, followed by painstaking restoration. The house on the hills near La Spezia of portrait photographer Giordano Benacci and his family reflects his sophisticated artistic language. The stone structure was originally an annex of the Giustiniani-Picedi castle at Vezzano Ligure, dating back to the year 1000. It is still nearly intact, with its original plan (200 square meters on three levels). The sole structural alteration is a slab in iron and glass, between the first and second floors, radically revising perception of the internal space.

The entrance leads to the “tearoom” connecting the kitchen and living areas. The studio offers access to a concrete staircase linking to the second floor, with a children’s bedroom and a picture gallery “suspended” over the glass floor slab. The master bedroom is in the attic, on the third floor.

The owner himself has done the interior design, favoring dark colors, rigorous structures and rough materials. Natural iron returns in many spaces, while conserved stone walls form the perimeter, alongside recycled wood for the flooring in the attic. The gray tones of resin-coated concrete form a perfect backdrop for the owner’s photographs.

One exceptional feature is a collection of about 60 oil portraits from the 19th century. From France, Italy and Germany, they have been chosen by Benacci for their emotional impact: «I don’t understand why anyone would divest themselves of the portrait of an ancestor. I give these images a new home. I try to never separate the families, focusing on proximity of fathers and sons, husbands and wives. In many cases, I know something about their background stories». An intimate coexistence with memories of the lives of others.