Massimo and Gabriella Carmassi, Casa Balbarini, Pisa, 1989

Massimo and Gabriella Carmassi are two Italian architects who work together since 1990 in the Carmassi Studio.

“The apartment is a part of the second floor of a noble building with attic, from the very basic structure, a result of the restructuring of a complex of medieval tower-houses, dating from the late seventh century. Recent partitions and the usual whitewashing had completely distorted this image, so the project sought to rediscover its value. Evidence of some layers add extra beauty.
The distribution requirements have been resolved here in a particularly strong and brilliant way, with a long tunnel transparent over the full height, which runs through the large kitchen/dining room, disengaging the other environments. The tunnel refers to new bows discovered under the plasters, which give the flat significant effects of transparency and luminosity. The core housing, very dark, is lit by a narrow skylight through a double volume.”

References:

Gabriella Ioli Carmassi at www.carmassiarchitecture.com