In the eternal city, in an early 20th century building a few steps from the Colosseum, the apartment Opus XII takes shape, the result of a dialogue between history and contemporary modernity. The first operation undertaken was to resume the architectural features of the dwelling; starting with the antique solid oak flooring, hidden and now compromised by the old owners’ carpeting, replaced by a new parquet floor that reproduces the original design. The use of natural materials, such as wood and local travertine marble, the careful study of colors in relation to the exterior views and the play between light and shadow give the project an atmosphere out of time and in dialogue with the wonderful buildings and ruins visible outside.
The apartment, which had been disused for several years, retained a very fragmented relationship between spaces, with a long corridor serving the different rooms, which were interlinked and labyrinthine in their use. Using a distribution strategy closer to the young clients’ way of life, a single large open space including the kitchen and living room space where light floods the space on different fronts was recreated through the opening of an arch in a load-bearing masonry.
The more private rooms of the house, such as the bedrooms and bathrooms, are developed on the right side with access from the hallway, which has been divided into two fields, a darker one that also serves as a reception space and prepares the guest for the next, lighter room that connects to the living area.
All the cabinets, paneling, and some of the furniture, such as the table in the living area and the bedside tables in the bedroom, were custom designed with attention to individual details and materials. An iconic element of the house is the small bookcase study, shaped like an exedra in walnut wood, which is hidden inside the living room space like a small casket. More contemporary and iconic models were chosen for the furnishings, also embellishing the space with artworks with a minimalist slant.