home profile
THE OWNERS
Valentina Moretti, founder and creative director of More, her partner Francesco Matricardi, managing director at More, and their children, twins Luigi Camillo and Antonio Leone, seven, and Giovanni Battista, three.
THE PROPERTY
A 1,000sq m house in Italy, designed and built by Valentina’s company More. It has a cellar, laundry room, studio, a couple of storage rooms, archive, tech room and bathroom in the basement. On the ground floor there is an open-plan kitchen/dining/living space, office, three en-suite bedrooms and a pool. On the first floor there is and a a bathroom.
“I always like to add something that’s a bit peculiar”
greenery isn’t the first thing that springs to mind when you imagine a brutaliststyle concrete box of a house, but Valentina Moretti’s home is steeped in nature – nestled as it is between wild woods and its landscaped garden. Despite its substantial size and concrete aesthetic, the building blends seamlessly with the surrounding Italian countryside, perfectly integrated with the help of a plant-filled roof and carefully selected planting elsewhere. ‘The idea for the house was born from the desire to put down roots and create a personal space on the hill where my whole family lives,’ says Valentina. ‘I chose a point where as a child I used to play, often building a small house with what I found lying around in the woods. I also identified the perfect position for my new home by thinking carefully about the best possible integration with the landscape.’
Before this house, Valentina was living in an apartment facing Lake Iseo. ‘It was perfect when we were young, but once I had babies I understood it was time to move into a more comfortable and spacious home, surrounded by green space where the kids could play in nature,’ she adds. Position identified, the house was designed by Valentina herself and realised by the family company More – an innovative architectural firm that designs and builds custom homes using industrialised building systems and interior design plans. Together they created a stunning home built in just five months using mainly wood, concrete and steel, pushing the boundaries of design and deftly resolving construction challenges, while remaining in perfect balance with the beautiful setting.
A striking flat roof, supported by exposed concrete walls, juts out over a large porch, which becomes a living and dining area in spring and summer. Inside, the view of nature is enjoyed as the seasons pass and there is a sense of privacy as the rooms are protected by vegetation. ‘Even the plan of the house simulates a wood, where domestic life develops in a fluid way,’ says Valentina. ‘This home is like an evolving organism, flexible in following the needs of its inhabitants. The spaces are defined by the light and the high-quality materials used, such the natural porphyry rock and untreated wood panelling. Even the windows are framed in light oak wood.’
Underlying the project is sustainability and responsibility.
‘In this house, we discover the value of architecture, research, technology, respect for the landscape and for the human being,’ says Valentina. ‘As an architecture practice, we have a sense of responsibility that guides every choice we make. We mix the advantages of prefabrication – its speed and its control – with choices that favour authentic, pure, sustainable materials. I chose to use only untreated materials that will undoubtedly undergo changes in their appearance over time.’
The interior design of this very special home is a stylish blend of manufactured furniture alongside custom-designed pieces.
‘The style is eclectic, like my personality,’ says Valentina. ‘Many items have been custom-designed together with the More team, others are objects collected during my life. It is all mixed with outstanding design elements and something that’s interesting and even a bit peculiar. I love to bring into my home a special piece of every interior project that I take care of, as a reminder of the project and that piece of life that I shared with the client.’
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