The “villino” was built exactly 100 years ago, in 1923, in the course of an urbanistic redesign of Rome. Following the example of the Garden City in London, a whole new district was to be built here on via Nomentana in the Montesacro district for high state functionaries: città Giardino.
These villas are all built according to the same scheme. Two storeys and a ground floor in which a single family lived at that time. Since only very few can afford this in today’s Rome, many of these villas are now being converted into 2-3 residential units. A difficult undertaking, as there is generally only one staircase.
In our case, the house was to be divided for two families: one family owns most of the basement (with its own entrance from the garden) and the first floor (with rear entrance) , the other accessible from the main entrance, the second floor with access to the roof terrace and the small tower. The problem of division and the particular challenge of the shared staircase was solved in collaboration with Lacasa and Atelier T. Burgert by dividing the staircase on the first floor by a wall and securing natural lighting through a light well with handmade art nouveau glass.
The priority in the conversion work was to preserve the historical flair, the spacious and light-flooded rooms, as well as the valuable original materials, in combination with functionality and the most modern ecological heating and heat technology (solar collectors and air-source heat pump). In the course of the state-subsidised building measures, the façade was also restored and repainted.
Both families have their own outdoor space (rear garden or roof terrace) and a shared garden at the front.
On the ground floor there is currently a privately run Bed & Breakfast with access to the garden. If you are interested in renting the holiday home, you can enquire about this through Lacasa.
