Giancarlo De Carlo, Casa Zigaina, Cervignano, Italy (Italy) 1958-1959

Via Biavi Abate, 1, Cervignano del Friuli, Udine

The Casa Zigaina was designed in 1958 by the Italian architect Giancarlo De Carlo, for the painter Zigaina. Taking inspiration from Frank Lloyd Wright’s organic architecture and the ideas of the Prairie School, the structure of the house is in harmony with its environment; while its cellular organisation reflects the innovative approach of Team X, of which De Carlo was a core member.

This ground-floor house is formed of two connected bodies: the studio of the artist and the home of the painter himself. These two bodies are orientated differently according to their functions. The studio part is orientated to the North, thus radiating the proper light to paint, while the residential area is orientated towards the heliothermic axis. The connection between the two consists of a big wooden roof.

The residential area consists of a sequence of spatial nuclei or hexagonal cells, like an extract of a flattened hive. Besides, the house is slightly lifted from the ground by an outdoor construction. Two iconic chimneys overhang the building. One of the corresponding fireplace is at the heart of the living room and generates a more lovely atmosphere inside the house.

References:

Casa Zigaina a Cervignano del Friuli, in Ville in Italia, Hoepli, Milano 1958; Renato Pedio, Abitazioni nel Friuli e in Lucania, “L’architettura. Cronache e storia”, n.50, 1959

Giancarlo De Carlo. Immagini e frammenti, a cura di A. Mioni e E. C. Occhialini, Electa, Milano, pp. 34-35

Sergio Polano, Guida all’architettura italiana del Novecento, Electa, Milano 1991, p.266;Friuli Venezia riuli Venezia Giulia. Guida critica all’architettura contemporanea, a cura di S.Polano e L.Semerani, Arsenale, Venezia 1992, p.130. (http://www.biblioarti.beniculturali.it/sommari/REP0000003206.pdf)

Udine Cervignano del Friuli at mapserver.iuav.it