“Casa Rude” is an apartment, inspired by brutalism, characterized by the sensual use of materials, such as exposed concrete and handcrafted coverings. The house offers bright rooms with large windows and a panoramic terrace.
In the southern suburbs of Rome, precisely in Tor de' Cenci, a brutalist-inspired apartment overlooks the Castelporziano Nature Reserve and finds a new life thanks to the intervention of the STUDIOTAMAT architectural firm. This renovation project, designed for a young couple of lawyers, takes the form of a 120 m40 house with large windows and a XNUMX mXNUMX equipped terrace, which captures abundant natural light and offers a panoramic view towards the greenery and as far as the Roman coast .
The owners say: “Being originally from Sicily, we felt the need to reconnect with nature, so we moved from the center to a more marginal area, surrounded by woods and not far from the sea. Since we have lived in Rome, we have always lived in small, cramped apartments with artificial materials. We wanted a bright, open house that would enhance the uniqueness, sometimes even imperfect, of the materials”.
Casa Rude was born from these needs, so called for the sensual use of materials, such as the reinforced concrete left exposed and unshaved of the pillars and beams, which frame the spaces of the living area. Tommaso Amato, co-founder of STUDIOTAMAT, explains: “In guiding the design process, we were guided by the desire to enhance the distinctive features of this particular terraced building, dating back to the 80s, which houses the apartment. We wanted to restore fluidity to the spaces, promote openness and rediscover pre-existing materials and details on which to build a new vision”.
The architecture studio harmoniously mixes different tones, atmospheres and textures, stimulating the tactile experience of architecture. The clean and elegant lines balance the raw aspect of the coverings, such as the terracotta of the kitchen or the perforated brick wall, with a typically artisanal flavor, which separates the living area from the study. The concrete floor, made with natural hydraulic lime, has an elaborate texture that gives liveliness to the space, while the walls and ceilings have been treated with a light skim coat containing recycled glass microspheres, which makes the surfaces variegated.
The living area is conceived as a loft, a single room with unfinished walls and a continuous floor, which houses the entrance, living room, dining room and kitchen, visually connected by the supporting structure in exposed concrete. At the center of everything is an imposing multifunctional cube made of birch wood, which inside hides a pantry, a wardrobe for coats and a bookcase with a TV.
The craftsmanship of the interiors also extends to the custom-made furnishings. The dining table has a solid wood top burned using the Japanese Shou sugi technique, supported by a cylindrical ceramic leg and two raw iron sheets. The desk moves in space thanks to a wooden wheel that runs on a track hidden inside the bookcase. The masonry sofa is modeled on the physical characteristics of the owners. The kitchen, with an island entirely covered in terracotta and a worktop in Patagonia marble, incorporates reinforced concrete pillars inside.
A clear separation delimits the sleeping area: a pivot door in perforated sheet metal partially screens the corridor, which connects the guest room and the master bedroom with private bathroom, to the main bathroom with bathtub and the built-in wardrobe. The transition is also highlighted by the change in flooring, from the predominant resin in the living area to terracotta in the more private areas. The master bedroom has a walnut wall unit that acts as a filter. Inside it there are two glass doors that allow, if necessary, to connect the bathroom to the room or to separate only the compartment that houses the independent sink.
The terrace extends along the entire south-west side of the apartment, offering breathtaking views at sunset. The external masonry kitchen, covered in travertine to recall the pre-existing thresholds, merges with the parapet and the bench, which serves as a seat for the dining table, while the horizontal surface is covered in wooden slats. A brise soleil shields the technical area of the systems and acts as a background for the outdoor shower with direct access from the bedroom, masking the boundary between inside and outside.
Combining sweetness and brutalism, contemporary accents and tailor-made interventions, the apartment designed by STUDIOTAMAT is an oasis of serenity in which to take a break from the frenetic pace of the city. Thanks to the sensual use of materials and attention to detail, Casa Rude represents a unique expression of design and architecture that enhances the beauty of imperfections and the fusion with the surrounding nature.
project info
Project name: Rude house
Office: STUDIOTAMAT (Tommaso Amato, Matteo Soddu and Valentina Paiola)
Architects: Tommaso Amato, Matteo Soddu and Valentina Paiola
Silvia D'Alessandro, Alice Patrizi
Lighting designers: Fabio Silvestris
Location: Tor De Cenci, Rome
Conclusion year: May 2023
Build Area (m2): 120 m40 + XNUMX mXNUMX (terrace)
Client: Private
Photographer: ©Serena Eller Vainicher
