Casa Giovannini, Flavon

Obtaining a unique idea is undoubtedly admirable and fascinating. However, it is often even more challenging to convince the wider community of such an idea and its qualities. That it is not impossible is demonstrated by the realization of a family house in the village of Flavon, in northern Italy's Trentino. A traditional local construction is revitalized by an extraordinary project of an oval building, which is protected by an aluminum roof that transitions into a facade resembling a broad letter C. The uniqueness is further emphasized by six wooden columns that intersect the roof and seemingly support it visually.

Architect Karl Heinz Castlunger is a pioneer in the reintroduction of wooden houses to South Tyrol. Although he primarily does not create designs that are publicly spoken about, his concept Casa Giovannini currently attracts as much attention as no other wooden building. In his recollections of the house's origin, he emphasizes that Mr. Giovannini (the investor) cloned the mountain style similar to that of the renowned Alta Badia in the Dolomites into his new residence. "At first, the builder did not like my designs at all. Although his wife was satisfied, he demanded adjustments to every detail," the architect recalls, adding: "Our dialogue on this topic lasted about a month." Eventually, Castlunger did not modify the project documentation, steadfastly defending the proposed concept until he won the client over: "It was a very constructive conversation," he adds.

A protective shield in the shape of a palm

"The house with the curves of an elongated letter C evokes a protective shield in the shape of a palm," the architect himself clarifies his design. His studies are designed to ideally fit into the surrounding environment. However, in Flavon, he was challenged by the fact that he could not rely on a single anchor point. Nearby, architects typically do not design houses, and everything revolves only around the financial capabilities of the investors. That is why Castlunger's proposal literally caused a stir. In the end, everything turned out well, and the project was approved by the building authority. Neighbors and indeed the entire community impatiently awaited what kind of family house would arise on the edge of the village amidst the orchards.

The investor is a timber merchant himself. This is why he predominantly used his own material for the construction, which reflected in the six wooden columns inserted at the entrance portal of the house. In addition to using his own material, Mr. Giovannini also personally selected the construction companies that carried out his house. The work proceeded smoothly, even though a building with a dominant semi-circular roof is hard to find in the area. The optimal material for this roofing became aluminum roofing sheets. The architect's long-term experience with aluminum cladding and the responsible approach of the roofer led to a successful outcome that excited not only the nearest neighbors but literally the entire Flavon.

The return of wooden constructions

Karl Heinz Castlunger is literally the "architect of wooden structures." He has returned this type of building to South Tyrol with great nobility. He has been dealing with wood since he was ten years old when, as a small boy, he spent summer vacations in the family carpentry. Even then, wood as a manufacturing material captivated him. However, he wanted more. To bring wood from the interior to the exterior. After studying architecture in Innsbruck, Darmstadt, and Venice, he went to Newport Beach in California for further studies. And it was here that he truly understood the advantages and added value of wooden constructions. As he says "Often, you have to walk a long way to feel and discover what is clear at first glance. Wood was one of humanity's first building materials. Only after that came stone, bricks, and concrete. Nowadays, we are returning to wood again. Wood is amazing not only as a building material."

He projected his love for wood into his designs. However, the local representatives looked askance at the initial proposals. Risks of fire, endangered investors, and neighbors... All concerns were quickly dispelled by Castlunger: "Today's wood in construction is quality; it shows a number of parameters in better quality than other building materials. Current wooden structures are not cozy huts!"

Unusual and exceptionally demanding

Traditional and unobtrusive shapes, common materials, characterize typical architecture in the villages of the Trentino area. Generally, they do not stand out and are very modest. Any deviation from this average logically arouses interest, and buildings of similar character are closely monitored. This is why the realization of Casa Giovannini was a real challenge for the young roofer Claudio Gasperetti in Flavon. For him, as well as for the rest of the roofing team comprising his father and one employee, meticulousness, quality, and reliability are more than intrinsic. After all, this is the only way they can continually embark on new projects in the local area. However, the unconventional and detail-demanding semi-circular aluminum roof, also diverging from local customs, required even greater responsibility and, as he says, a lot of enthusiasm. "Casa Giovannini was indeed an unusual and exceptionally demanding project. In the area, you will find only plots with traditional constructions, such as farmhouses, family houses, and churches. The basic building materials are bricks and fired tiles. The shapes of the houses are also classic. It is evident at first glance that the character of the buildings is deliberately adapted to the surrounding landscape. Mayors and nature conservators cling to established, classical architecture and are reluctant to approve anything that deviates from this trend. And suddenly, there appears a semi-circular, almost cylindrical building with aluminum roofing sheets. The result had to be more than perfect. The new curves of the roof structure additionally required a new approach to work and thorough material selection."

Flexibility and easy workability were the keys to the success of this project. "We curved, bent, and turned almost half of the area of Casa Giovannini. There were also many demanding details," specifies Claudio Gasperetti, who worked on the construction with his colleagues for more than a month straight. "In the past, we realized most unconventional projects from copper," recalls Gasperetti. Now his company prefers to work with aluminum cladding - roofing and facade systems PREFA. "You can truly work magic with aluminum. It is stable, ecological, durable, and yet so malleable. You can work with it like no other material. With aluminum, you can cover absolutely everything," he states, adding with a smile: "Ironically, the most challenging part was not the installation of the folded roofing sheets but the installation of the six wooden columns at the entrance of the house."

About the project

Project name: Casa Giovannini
Country: Italy
Object, location: family house, Flavon
Type of building: new construction
Type of roof: Prefalz
Color of roof: P.10 anthracite
Type of facade: Prefalz
Color of facade: P.10 anthracite
PHOTOGRAPHY: Croce & WIR