Set above Lake Lugano, this 1970s modernist house by Unterlöhner + Waibel has been thoughtfully renovated by Enrico Sassi Architetto with a clear objective: to preserve its architectural identity while adapting it to contemporary standards of living. Through a careful recalibration of the original color scheme using Le Corbusier’s Les Couleurs palette, discreet technical upgrades, and a strong emphasis on material continuity, the project illustrates how renovation can become an act of preservation rather than transformation.
The renovation of a single-family house in Vernate by Enrico Sassi Architetto engages in a careful dialogue with a building originally designed in 1972 by Unterlöhner + Waibel, Ulm (Germany).
Characterised by exposed brickwork, a load-bearing wooden structure and an asymmetrical gable roof, the house expresses a distinctly modern domestic language rooted in material honesty and spatial clarity.
The sloping roof defines the intimate volumes of the sleeping area, while the living room opens generously toward the landscape through large glazed surfaces, framing panoramic views of the Agno–Porto Ceresio branch of Lake Lugano. The façade facing the woods is entirely clad in prefabricated roofing tiles, reinforcing the building’s robust and almost infrastructural character.
Organised on a single floor articulated into two staggered levels, the house separates living and sleeping areas through subtle shifts in section. The living area, partially suspended on pillars, establishes a light relationship with the ground, while the sleeping quarters are positioned upstream, embedded in the terrain.
The renovation prioritises conservation over transformation.
Technical upgrades, such as the replacement of the oil heating system with an air-to-water heat pump, new distribution pipes, updated radiators and improved thermal insulation, are discreetly integrated. Original wooden window frames are preserved and fitted with insulated double glazing, maintaining the building’s material continuity.
Interior elements have been carefully reinterpreted.
The red Klinker tiles give way to a new Ruckstuhl Flow sisal carpet, while the original colour scheme of lacquered wood surfaces is retained and refined through Le Corbusier’s Les Couleurs palette.
A new stainless-steel kitchen introduces a contemporary layer, contrasting yet respectful, reinforcing the house’s timeless modernist identity.
By privileging material intelligence and precise technical interventions, the project affirms renovation as a cultural act—one that acknowledges historical value while quietly accommodating contemporary needs. Rather than asserting a new authorship, Enrico Sassi Architetto allows the house’s inherent qualities to remain legible, ensuring its continued relevance within both its landscape and its time.
Enrico Sassi
Enrico Sassi (1965) architect and landscaper. Is in professional practice and teaches architecture. Coordinator of ISUP “Istituto per il Progetto Urbano e del Paesaggio” leaded by prof. arch. Jonathan Sergison, USI Accademia di Architettura, Mendrisio. He has been teacher of “Urban design” at USI Accademia di architettura, Mendrisio. He has been an editor of “archi”, a magazine of architecture and urban planning. He has an architectural practice in Lugano.
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Facts & Credits
Project title Renovation of a house in Vernate
Typology Renovation, Residential
Location Vernate, Italy
Architecture Enrico Sassi Architetto Sagl
Year 2024-25
Client Private
Construction company Bosisio SA
RCVS systems Equans Switzeralnd AG
Carpenter Cavaleri Carlo SA
Electrician Jermini Elettricità SA
Plumber Jörg Soldati
Kitchen Tiba AG
Plasterer Willy Robbiani Costruzioni SA
Painter SP Color SA
Locksmith Bernasconi Renato SA
Upholsterer Knupfer arredamenti
Exterior work Inalbero
Photography Marcelo Villada Ortiz
Text provided by the architects
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