Villa on the lake

Giuseppe Terragni – (unrealized project), 1936

Terragni's first idea was to build a prism on a pilot structure. The prism's goal is to contain the entire structure of the house. The internal arrangement of the furniture divides the space into public and private parts. All the improper places, such as the kitchen, closets, laundry, exploration spaces are outside the prism, and all the living spaces (dining room, living rooms, ...) are inside the prism.
On the first floor, every exit leads to the roof, making this part of the house a truly important place.

In the living room, a large volume in its middle is narrowing the space and creating a more private area. On the other side, on the roof and patio, the opening to the sky gives an idea of ​​infinite space. These two visions of privacy and infinite space are in harmony thanks to a rectangular structure repeated throughout the house. The openings on the entire facade of the house and the piloti structure create a dynamic and asymmetrical rhythm.
“This work is a cornerstone of Terragni's poetics: if it had been realized, it would be among the greatest international expressions of the period”.