In the pine forest of Forte dei Marmi

The name Forte dei Marmi conjures up memories of the 1960s and 1970s, when “il Forte” as it was then known was a popular meeting place for actors and film directors. Already a favourite haunt of poets and intellectuals in the early 20th century, it was in the 1960s/1970s that the seaside resort underwent a real building boom. This rational-style villa is one example of a building dating from this period. Standing on an approximately 2,200 square metre site in the pine forest, it extends over an approximately 450 square metre area on two levels with a 90 square metre portico and a 60 square metre covered terrace.
While the air in the park is filled with the same pine scent as in times past, the building was itself recently given a makeover by the architects from Iosa Ghini Associati with results that are no less impressive than the original building. “The project focused on rationalising the interior volumes, opening up the spaces to create large, bright rooms in a marked departure from the original layout,” explains architect Massimo Iosa Ghini.
The floor and wall tiles from Florim bring a sense of uniformity to the project. The interior floors and terraces feature the Industrial line, inspired by the pure and rigorous style of cement, and the same product is used for the exterior to convey a sense of continuity. The interior of the swimming pool is clad with the elegant precious-stone-inspired Les Bijoux de Rex decorative tiles, while the bathroom features marble-effect tiles in the Magnum Oversize format from the Rex Classics and Stones&More 2.0 lines. “At that time, it was customary to divide up the living space into different functional areas,” continues the architect. “The dining area was originally separated from the living room, so we decided to reorganise the ground floor layout to make the spaces more liveable. We also worked on the utilities and the sustainability of the installations and services. We replaced the doors and windows to lighten up the overall appearance and to increase energy efficiency, and installed solar panels so that much of the house and the swimming pool could be powered from renewable sources. The clients wanted an all-season house where they could spend a lot of time outdoors in the company of their many guests during the summer, but where they could also live in the winter. Along with the kitchen and large living area, the ground floor also has three guest bedrooms and bathrooms plus a small separate accommodation unit for service staff. The upper floor is reserved for the private family section, along with the children’s room and the master bedroom opening onto a covered outdoor terrace with a gym. Finally, the basement features a wine tasting area created on special request of the owners, who are wine lovers and connoisseurs. Completing the project is the spacious garden with large maritime pines where a swimming pool and adjacent changing rooms have been built.”