Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

An Old Stone Building in Tuscany Becomes a Modern Hideaway

An Old Stone Building in Tuscany Becomes a Modern Hideaway

A clever renovation transforms an irregularly shaped dwelling in Trequanda, Italy, into a tiny retreat that's bursting with character.

In the small, medieval village of Trequanda in Tuscany, Italy, Casa Effegi is an old stone building that was restored and transformed into a cozy, 367-square-foot countryside retreat. Mantua–based Archiplan Studio conducted the renovation, reconfiguring the floor plan and outdoor areas, employing a deck and built-in benches to connect the interior and exterior spaces while maximizing functionality.



Casa Effegi is located at the border of the Tuscan village of Trequanda, tucked between the town center and the surrounding hilly, rural landscape.



The height difference between the entrance at the ground level and the internal courtyard presented architects Diego Cisi and Stefano Gorni Silvestrini of Archiplan Studio with the opportunity to create a wooden deck outdoors.



The living room on the ground floor had an original floor area that follows the form of an imperfect square.

"We think the most unique features of the house are related to the attention paid to details and material," says Silvestrini. "The imperfections became opportunities for small and precise interventions, aimed at redefining the space."



The architects regularized the asymmetry of the longitudinal walls with two lateral, built-in benches that accommodate the spatial discrepancies with their extensions.



For the interiors, the architects used mostly black-varnished steel sheets and durmast wood.



A wardrobe with wooden doors on the first floor bedroom contains and hides the shower and toilet.

Near this wardrobe, just to the side of one of the bedroom windows, a white Vieques pedestal washbasin designed by Patricia Urquiola for Italian brand Agape stands as an isolated element that enhances the visual connectivity between the wash area and the surrounding landscape.

"The challenges were mainly related to the space's small scale, which meant that we had to to find the right balance between the measurements of the old and new features," says Cisi.



While using the washbasin, the owner can enjoy outdoor views. "The 'rarefacted' wooden wall generates a light visual relationship between bedroom and bathroom spaces," says Cisi.


Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
×