01 - Via Moravia

The project is located in a hilly area on the outskirts of the city of Cagliari, in a residential neighborhood characterized by small- and medium-sized single-family and multi-family homes, typically inhabited by young couples. The location offers both quantitatively and qualitatively high panoramic potential.

The lot on which the project sits has an elongated triangular shape and a steep slope. These factors influenced the design approach across all aspects, from the overall composition to the layout of both interior and exterior spaces. The steep terrain allowed the project to be structured through a series of terraces, forming the base of the design and giving shape to the idea of a Mediterranean garden.

The design draws inspiration from the principles of Mediterranean vernacular architecture, typical of the Spanish coasts, the Greek peninsula, the Maghreb landscape, and central-southern Italy. The morphological and technological features of this architectural tradition, understood as constant elements, serve as a foundation for defining strategies for contemporary and sustainable design in similar climatic regions.

Light, wind, heat, scents, flavors, and colors are all integral design elements that have shaped the identity of the house.

The project consists of four independent housing units, each with a private garden, distributed on a single level: two on the ground floor and two on the upper floor. The building's morphology is based on a modular housing core, to which service spaces are attached, oriented in accordance with the natural terrain. The main living areas and outdoor spaces are south-facing, ensuring optimal microclimate control throughout the year.

To protect the interior spaces, two large blind walls have been erected to shield the building from prevailing winds—namely the Mistral and the Sirocco—thus becoming defining architectural features.

The main openings are oriented southward to maximize natural light and external heat. The materials used reflect the Mediterranean building tradition: stone and plaster. The light-colored lime plaster reduces heat absorption by reflecting part of the solar radiation, thereby lowering external surface temperatures and improving indoor thermal comfort.

Stone, a traditional Mediterranean building material, anchors the home to its setting and, through its mass, protects the house. It also creates a chromatic contrast with the brightness of the plaster, establishing a play of textures and tones within the building’s overall simplicity.

The garden is a further key element of the house, both from an environmental perspective—given that this part of the city is made up entirely of privately-owned green spaces—and from a typological one, as the private garden is an essential component of Mediterranean architecture.

Wrapping around the house, the garden is conceived as a sensory experience: a place of contact with nature, evoking memories of ancient landscapes, where every sense is engaged with Mediterranean culture and tradition. The presence of flowers, colors, sounds, textures, flavors, and scents calms and relaxes the spirit. This is achieved through the use of aromatic herbs, spices, and native plant species such as olive, laurel, myrtle, sage, mint, helichrysum, thyme, santolina, rosemary, and lavender, which, stirred by the breeze, cleanse and perfume the air of the home.