Hvor ligger dit hjem, og hvordan er det forbundet med dit studie?
Huset ligger på via della Moscova, et centralt område i Milano, som jeg finder vidunderligt. Jeg tror, at dette rum, som ligger direkte over mit studie, ikke er kommet til mig ved en tilfældighed. Det vender ud mod en af de bygninger, der har inspireret og fortsat inspirerer mit fag mest: Ca’ Brutta, designet af Giovanni Muzio. At bo foran det havde altid været en af mine drømme.
Hvad betyder det at leve i daglig dialog med en så kraftfuld tilstedeværelse?
Ca’ Brutta var en af de første bygninger, jeg studerede, da jeg gik på Fakultetet for Arkitektur ved Universitetet i Napoli Federico II. Med tiden blev jeg virkelig fascineret af det, fordi det indeholder alle de elementer, der er nødvendige for design: buen, cirklen, linjen, rektanglet – alt. Da jeg besluttede at renovere lejligheden og fuldstændigt gentænke plantegningen, åbnede jeg hele rummet mod Ca’ Brutta, så alle vinduer nu vender mod det. Mange elementer i huset stammer derfra, for eksempel fraværet af skarpe hjørner. Alt er afrundet, fordi jeg elsker blød arkitektur.Du kan lide rum, der fortæller en historie.
Hvilken historie ønskede du, at dette hjem skulle fortælle?
Historien om vores familie, fordi jeg føler, at jeg har en vigtig arv at give videre. Many things come from the South, for instance the chest of drawers that stood in my childhood bedroom in Naples, and my uncle Gigi’s Thonet chairs. Other elements come from the English side of the family: there is an entire wall dedicated to the flowers painted by my mother-in-law, who was a textile designer. Of course, there are also many objects that James and I designed ourselves, from the marble table to most of the chairs, as well as materials and surfaces. I designed the floor mosaic myself. It is inspired by my homeland and resembles a Venetian terrazzo floor, where each small piece has a different texture, allowing the light to reflect in a particular way. Finally, there are my collections of objects, which I have always displayed, even when the children were little, because I believe objects should be enjoyed without fear. Otherwise they end up possessing you.
What role does the kitchen play in the house, and how is it organised?
The kitchen sits at the centre of the house and faces Ca’ Brutta. Visually it feels very soft because it features only curved lines, which I often use because they make spaces feel welcoming. Separating it from the dining room is a curved wall that becomes almost a scenographic element. There is a central island whose position I carefully studied so that I can see the entire house while cooking – from one side I can even see the lemon tree on the balcony of my bedroom. This is another characteristic of my architecture: I like there to be a point from which you can see deep into the entire home. In this case, that point is the kitchen.
Do you often host friends and family?
Yes, very often. I love organising dinners and hosting parties, people feel comfortable here. I won’t deny that my home is a rather grand space, but it is also very welcoming, with a strong sense of family. I love making pizza, savoury brioches or quiches – things that can be sliced and shared together.
What led you to choose V-ZUG for the kitchen appliances?
We share many values in terms of design. We are attentive to the life cycle of products and respectful of materials. As an architect, I also appreciated the finishes: the oven integrates beautifully with the colour palette of my kitchen, which revolves around beige and cinnamon tones. The cooktop is black, classic, but what struck me most is the hood that disappears.
Speaking of shared design values, I noticed that you often use the circle, a shape that is also dear to V-ZUG, for example in the oven’s Circle Slider.
Yes, that is another natural affinity. In every architectural project of mine there is always a hole, a porthole. I like that design gesture, and I like the idea of moving through space, of leaving an opening. The construction company I work with in Milan now jokes about it, they ask me, “So where are we making the hole this time?”
