MAISON OTTAVIA

 

Maison Ottavia' is a small five-room B&B in the historic centre of Rome. 
The search for 'Romanity' and understanding how to synthesise it in a contemporary design was the first approach to the work. 
Memory and perception have been our tools.

Colours and light

The light of Rome immediately evokes the yellow of the sun, the orange of the sunset, the blue of the sky. 
memory, history brings back the golden yellow, the imperial red 
the presence of the river brings back the green of the Tiber
the flight of the birds in the sky of Rome makes us choose the light .....di Artemis of the Japanese ......

The window 

is always an evocative subject for us architects.
The regular succession of windows on the first floor of the façade of a late 19th century palace recalls the presence of the historical context in which the rooms are inserted.
We decided to make three interventions in the window

1. the choice of a single-glazed frame framing sections of the facades of Roman palazzi and various corners of the city, including a privileged telescope overlooking Castel Sant'Angelo.

2. the reframing within the window, with the insertion of a seat in the depth of the outer wall, is on the one hand a reference to historical architecture and on the other hand brings the interior life of the space closer to the exterior life of the city. Of course, the perception is also opposite,   

3. the punctual light on the axis of the window is home and defines the position of the linear desk top parallel to the outer wall. Breakfast in the room, a coffee, a moment dedicated to work is part of a scene looking outwards. A light shining in front of the window always represents a life story seen from the outside.

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The room and the traveller

The art of hosting is to understand and anticipate the needs of people of different ages, backgrounds and cultures. 
Giving the host the ease of organising a temporary space
freedom of movement in a small space 
Following the instinct of a gesture in an unfamiliar space 
Comfort in storing clothes and practical items
Comfort in sitting and sleeping 
to have nothing superfluous 

 A round section iron tube structures and organises the interior furnishings, from the bed to the tables and wardrobes. 

The choice of velvet fabric in selected colours softens the effect.
Small, more classical objects are used to evoke the daily life of ancient times.

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The art

Hosting art by making the spaces of the beb available to young artists to make themselves known.

The materials
Wood, plaster and marble for the interior shell.
The choice of black-stained wood flooring, laid over the entire surface of the building, including the service areas, is a reflection of the desire to complement the articulation of the space of the rooms and the Roman colours of the city that we see from the windows.

Rome is an important city, rich in references. 

A synthesis must be sought in its complexity.
 

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