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NOVEMBER CONTENTS

EDITORIAL “Inspired by Zen minimalism ”

continues from page 3 “Struck by the atmosphere felt in some Japanese settings, by the hectic life that the country ’ s inhabitants lead, yet at the same time by the feeling of serenity and tranquillity inside temples and homes, I set myself the challenge of conveying these same emotions felt in those places, ” the architect Duilio Damilano from Cuneo tells Ville&Casali. “Since the client requested a house with a contemporary and modern feel, I tried to design an environment that changes with the passage of time and whose colours also change, convincing the owner to love everything around him ” . Zen architecture that simplifies everything, minimalist. “Less is more ” , as Ludwig Mies van der Rohe once said. A philosophy today embraced by Californian ecologists and many others. In a new project that Ville&Casali is proud to present to its readers - the renovation of a penthouse with tower in Perugia ’ s historic old town - the architect Luciano Ciancaleoni from Foligno opted for contemporary furnishings without detracting from the classic character of the seventeenth-century building. A modern style yet attentive to design classics. The French interior design studio Nooor has also introduced modern comfort into a Hausmannian residence at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. Meanwhile, in Poland, a cosmopolitan couple have single-handedly furnished a villa in an international style having visited boutique hotels and antique markets all over the world. Finally, in Franciacorta, the designer Marco Carini has created a home in constant dialogue with its surrounding vibrant wood-garden landscape, using predominantly customdesigned furnishings and natural materials. The November issue also features many architectural and furnishing ideas, from conservatories to bathroom furnishings, from wood panelling to lighting. The luxury property section, in which Ville&Casali has been a leader for more than 30 years, showcases investment opportunities across Italy, but also includes a special report on the Langhe, Monferrato and Roero, places that currently offer unique investment opportunities.

INTERIOR Understated luxury in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower In a large Parisian apartment with spectacular views of the garden of Champ de Mars, the interior design studio Nooor has successfully rekindled the French spirit by restoring period parquet flooring and stucco

continues from page 22 In an interview with Ville&Casali, Laurent Klein, Séverine Rebout and Philippe Tasso, co-founders of Nooor, a prestigious Parisian interior design agency with offices in Rue de Varenne, explained that “for all our projects we offer clients our savoir faire in order to design a bespoke universe where they feel truly at home ” . And it is a refined French atmosphere that greets you as you enter this sophisticated more than 150-square metre apartment that looks out onto the garden of Champ de Mars and benefits from a spectacular view of the Eiffel Tower, in the heart of magnificent Paris. A peaceful retreat for an owner who loves privacy and wanted to live in a typical Parisian apartment. The round living room is the perfect place to receive guests, who can gather around the Louis XVI-style fireplace purchased from a flea market. Nooor redesigned the layout to create a private bathroom for each of the three bedrooms. Because a traditional air conditioning system could not be installed due to the constraints imposed on historic Parisian buildings, Nooor opted for a water-based system that does not require external units. To fully uncover the French spirit of the building, the designers focussed on restoring the parquet flooring and plaster cornices. The home has a timeless feel and exudes understated luxury thanks to the perfect marriage of classic French furniture and contemporary pieces. This is evident right from the entrance, where a bespoke piece of furniture showcases the owner ’ s Wedgwood biscuit jar, and continues into the living room that boasts a Bruno Moinard Editions sofa.

INTERIOR Classic harmony for a family home In Poland, a couple have designed their own home with elegant furnishings, taking inspiration from European design

continues from page 32 Warm, inviting and welcoming, as a family home should be. From the depths of the imagination of a couple of Polish doctors came this perfect domestic refuge, a space in which to meet and savour the beauty of conviviality. The idea was to design the interior themselves, without the help of architects or interior designers. The search for the right place was quite long and culminated in the purchase of a large plot of land in the Kampinos Forest, about 40 km from Warsaw. The design was inspired by the owner ’ s numerous trips to France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands, as well as to places further afield like New York. It was essential to make each space perfectly adapted to their lifestyle. From the layout of the rooms to the arrangement of furniture and accessories, everything was planned down to the smallest detail by the owner, who personally designed each and every aspect. The kitchen, lounge and dining room are all joined. When upstairs, a beautiful mezzanine looks out over the lounge. The design of the kitchen is based on a large American villa, as is the entrance to the garage, which grants direct access to inside the house. The soft and refined colour palette conveys a sense of calm and order, further enhanced by the marked symmetry of the furnishings, embellished with sophisticated black accents.

PROJECT Zen inspiration at the foot of the Alps The architect Duilio Damilano has designed a villa in Piedmont in the style of a meditation pavilion in an ancient Japanese garden

continues from page 44 “Ie ” is the Japanese word for home, but also for roof, family and safe protection. Duilio Damilano, an architect from Cuneo, explains in an interview with Ville&Casali how having visited Japan many times, where he had the chance to study Japanese architecture and primarily Japanese gardens first hand, he decided to present his Zen-inspired design to a client who wanted a modern home. The almost 500-square metre villa was built on a 2-hectare plot on the moraine ridge of the Piedmontese Alps. The building sits on a reinforced concrete slab and is made of metal and wood. The entrance to the villa on the north side is accessed by a series of stone steps completely immersed in greenery. This, together with the cantilevered walkway made of weathering steel, makes for a playful mix of designs. Once inside the villa, the large lounge opens up before you, connecting the most private part of the house the bedrooms - with the guest annex. The luxurious lounge featuring two comfortable sofas, a large wooden dining table and a completely open kitchen, is enclosed by glass walls to create a constant link with the outside. To maintain this dialogue with the surrounding landscape, the designer decided to incorporate vast windows, some fixed, others sliding, which lead to a teak terrace complete with long infinity pool. Two large basins were designed in this area, one with water and water lilies and the other housing a Japanese garden.

PROJECT A house in the woods flooded with light In Franciacorta, the designer Marco Carini has created a home that is connected to the outside thanks to its large windows

continues from page 62 “There is no inside and there is no outside when you immerse yourself in nature. Everything merges into one. The idea of an almost completely glazed house came to me spontaneously as soon as I visited the site - an ancient wood in the heart of Franciacorta. The only spot where there were no plants seemed perfect, as if specifically designed to accommodate a villa, built for natural approach” . This is how the designer Marco Carini describes the landscape in which this villa of such unusual architecture was to be built. The designer was able to achieve an aesthetic finish akin to a traditional Nordic or Flemish style, thanks to the large windows similar to those seen in the historic greenhouses of northern Europe, and to a structure that is only visible through its vertical and horizontal lines. A central patio captures zenithal light, which then spreads and supports the flow of daily life both in the groundfloor living area - a welcoming space thanks to the Extra Soft sofa, Frog armchairs and Living Divani coffee tables placed around the Focus fireplace - and in the first floor bedrooms, which are accessed by a bespoke staircase clad in Pietra d'Avola stone from Salvatori Stone. For times when there is no natural light, the designer has fitted all rooms with refined Davide Groppi lighting. All rooms are equipped with natural textile curtains to provide shade and ensure optimal climatic conditions, with outdoor blinds or shutters not being required. The furnishings are light, clear, almost exclusively made of natural materials and either tailor-made or chosen from the most exclusive collections, like the Ryoba dining table from Porro and its CH24 chairs from Carl Hansen. In the basement, which acts as roots in the ground that extend and complement the use of the spaces, a bespoke cellar area for wines, as well as a relaxation, wellness and fitness area have been included to offer its owners moments of total well-being. There is also room for a shower clad in Lithoverde Gris du Marais marble from Salvatori Stone, as well as a sauna, Turkish bath and an Effegibi salt room. The floor is made of Racolour Granorte cork, while the furniture includes a RIG MA/U Studio De Padova bookcase, Extra Soft sofas and Era armchairs from Living Divani.

RENOVATION Living in a penthouse in the heart of Perugia The architect Luciano Ciancaleoni has converted two apartments into one penthouse with roof terrace, in a seventeenth-century building, and has made it functional and elegant thanks to the use of high-quality materials and furnishings of iconic design

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As Oscar Wilde once said,

“The one duty we owe to history is to rewrite it. ” This is exactly what a professional from Perugia decided to do when he purchased two apartments on the fifth and sixth floors of Palazzo Landone, a seventeenth-century neoclassical building boasting the tallest private tower in the Umbrian capital. The architect Luciano Ciancaleoni from Foligno was commissioned to convert a 240-square metre footprint into a modern penthouse in a timeless classic style. “The renovation of the building involved relocating an external suitcase that previously connected the top floor to the 20-square metre roof terrace, to inside the penthouse, ” explained Mr Ciancaleoni in an interview with Ville&Casali. The owner used only top quality materials throughout the property, such as the oak parquet flooring purchased at Expoparquet in Bastia Umbra and Siemens appliances in the kitchen, which was designed by the architect Ciancaleoni and made by the company Floritelli Cucine of Spello. The choice of furnishings and works of art, as well as attention to detail and other particular features, make this prestigious residence in the historic old town of Perugia unique. The owner and the architect wanted to create rooms and spaces that lend themselves both to family living and to socialising, trying to bring as much natural light in as possible. “I wanted to play with the contrast between black and white in every room ” , the owner tells us. “Every room showcases designer furniture, decorative cornices and premium quality materials ” , he adds. “We did not want to detract from the classic character of the building ” , Mr Ciancaleoni stresses, “despite choosing contemporary furnishings ” .

REPORT Langhe-Roero and Monferrato attract tourists and capital Investments totalling 50 million thanks to the contribution of Invitalia. The International Alba White Truffle Fair is running until 5 December

continues from page 112 Fifty million euros worth of investment is set to benefit the tourist accommodation sector of the Langhe-Roero and Monferrato hills. In an interview with Ville&Casali, Elisabetta Grasso, Director of the Langhe-Roero and Monferrato Tourist Consortium, explained that the money will be invested “in new accommodation to be built in the coming years and in additional services for existing hotels, to further enrich the high-end market. This serves to demonstrate how important luxury tourism is for this region, and how a group of industrious entrepreneurs, many from the wine sector, are willing to invest significant resources ” . The initiative is called "The farm of good living " . "It is a network of businesses ” , continues Mrs Grasso, “that is looking to invest in tourism and which will be able to benefit from the Invitalia Development agreement, an instrument that guarantees a non-repayable contribution of 20 percent of the investment undertaken, an opportunity that has made the building of hospitality and catering facilities more attractive ” . The Director of the Albesi Traders Association, Fabrizio Pace, has been appointed head of the business network steering committee. "To be eligible for the Invitalia fund, ” he explains, ”the Italian Ministry of Economic Development required a total minimum investment of 20 million, a figure that has already been exceeded. And this serves to demonstrate the vitality of the tourism sector that is unparalleled in the rest of Italy. Indicators suggest that the luxury sector will be given a further boost and that tourists with plenty of money to spend will once again return enthusiastically to our region ” . It is no coincidence that the American Kyle Krause fell in love with the Langhe and invested several million euros in Casa di Langa, the new sustainable luxury hotel that opened in June, and in two winemakers in Cerreto Langhe, or that the Czech Miroslav Lekes chose the Langhe as the site to open his Reva Resort and awardwinning restaurant Fre.

PROPERTY MARKET Monferrato is giving the Langhe a run for its money Prices are almost fifty percent lower and the return on investment could be greater. But overseas investors prefer the Barolo wine region

continues from page 122 Many people ’ s dream second home, particular for overseas investors, is a farmhouse in Alba, the most expensive area in the Langhe region. Yet the property market is more buoyant in Monferrato, where prices are 40-50 percent lower and are set to rise more steeply in the mid to long term. Ever since Langhe-Roero and Monferrato was granted UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 2014, it has been attracting more and more tourists year on year and property investments have become increasingly soughtafter. The proportion of Italian buyers has also grown in recent years, although still far below overseas investors. “Purchases made by Italians increased by 7-8% in 2021 compared to 2020. Despite this, around 70% of transactions were still completed by overseas buyers, ” explains Andrea Monti, Head of the foreign sector of FIAIP (Italian Federation of Professional Estate Agents) Piedmont. He adds that “The Piedmont hills are proving most popular with Europeans. Some Americans and Asians are also investing, but primarily in local wineries rather than in the residential sector. Most Italian investors who purchase properties in Monferrato or the Langhe come from Milan or Turin. ” According to FIAIP surveys, the most soughtafter properties are a stone or fully renovated farmhouse, an Art Nouveau or eighteenth-century villa, or, failing that, a detached house with garden or cultivated land that benefits from a beautiful view. As such, demand is particularly high in the hills, with property searches typically concentrated in the area from Ovada to Acqui Terme, towards Nizza Monferrato, Canelli and the Upper Langhe,