For the construction of a very unusual home, born around the passion of a sommelier, ABB technology shows how architecture and functionality can satisfy any need by creating a place that integrates the best comfort, safety and energy-efficient solutions.

Marco, a sommelier from Como – Italy, had a desire: to transform an old abandoned mechanical workshop into a comfortable home that could also be a place for wine tasting. There had to be a table to taste fine wines at, a relaxing area to conversate in, and a corner for consulting books on wines. Spaces to accommodate groups of people, with the freedom to move between the various environments but separated from each other. But not only that, he desired to keep the industrial imprint featuring that place for so long. Also, he dreamed of an air-conditioned wine cellar in the kitchen.

In charge of the redevelopment project, architect Gianpaolo Sala transformed the 1904 workshop into a unique environment with innovative solutions. ABB technology perfectly fits the evolution of needs following the house evolution, inevitably increasing its technological equipment over time, from thermoregulation to lights control. The environment design exploits the space vertically to create the required separation in the available space; this was possible by creating a “basin” for a conversation space with a large corner sofa, topped by a mezzanine with a metal structure in perfect industrial style. The mezzanine in the centre of the room offers the desired separation, leaving the entire area open and well lit. In the kitchen space, a concrete hob in a perfect industrial style acts as a cover and support wall for an underground wine cellar and directly accessible from the kitchen through a glass structure to have the precious wines collection at sight.

The “unconventional” exploitation of the spaces arose an effort also in the plant design. Indeed, adequate lighting had to be guaranteed in different situations as it had to be multifunctional. Last but not least, the customization and flexibility required because the use of living spaces could have changed over time with the adoption of new technologies and new entertainment forms. A real Augmented House, as ABB defines this way of interpreting the house. And this is why Lorim company, which designed the system, installed an ABB KNX Web Server. It offers infinite system supervision and management possibilities with the possibility of reconfiguring the system whenever necessary. ABB KNX Web Server also allows configuring the system via the web, making it smarter.

An ABB 7” touch panel display makes it possible locally to manage all systems and represents access to the augmented house. As nothing is left to chance, also the civil series had to be carefully chosen. The series installed throughout the living area is ABB Mylos KNX, in the black version. The installed square ultrathin black plates with minimalist lines creating perfect continuity in this environment for the lighting and temperature control points.

The villa designed by architect Gianpaolo Sala – OFICINASGA Design Studio – follows Marco’s needs, creating an environment in which traces of the original construction remain, such as the wooden beams and some stone parts. ABB quality, lighting comfort, ambient scenarios and the combination of different functions represent the answer to today homes requirements, even in particular cases like this.

ABB KNX flexible and reliable configuration allowed Lorim to create a system to be expanded and modified over time, to meet the needs of those who live in a constant evolving house and embracing the “ABB Augmented House” concept.

Credits: Marco Longagnani – Sommelier in Como

La Fucina di Marco website – La Fucina di Marco Instagram 

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