Architects: AACM – Atelier Architettura Chinello Morandi
Year: 2024
Lead Architects: Nicolò Chinello, Rodolfo Morandi
Photographs: Lorenzo Zandri, AACM – Atelier Architettura Chinello Morandi
Manufacturers: FLOS, Ital Plastick, Knoll International, Zanutta
Drawings: AACM – Villa Emo, Andrea Palladio, I Quattro Libri dell’Architettura, libro II, p. 55 (Venezia,1570).
City: Padova
Country: Italy
Not a Rural House residential project by AACM – Atelier Architettura Chinello Morandi in Italy explores contradictions in local building codes that mandate new constructions to replicate the form of old rural structures. The design uses the footprint of a demolished barn yet exposes its contemporary character through visible concrete and timber frameworks. Palladian spatial principles guide its modular interior layout, while framed views reconnect daily living with the countryside. Material contrasts and natural light underscore the project’s critique of imposed historicism and its redefinition of rural domestic life.
From the outside, the form should emerge naturally from its context: creating a connection between the user, their ancestors, the local traditions, and the culture of the place. When you enter the space, the atmosphere should be striking and intense, evoking deep emotions. That’s when architecture is at its best: when it enhances the user experience and gives meaning to both function and space.
Interview with Rodolfo Morandi and Nicolò Chinello of AACM
Not a Rural House examines a paradox in Italian building regulations, where the form and height of new structures must follow the outline of demolished barns. This requirement produces contemporary homes that appear historic but are constructed using modern techniques. In this project, architecture responds to these imposed conditions by revealing rather than concealing its nature, exposing the regulatory façade and transforming it into a critical design element.
The building’s interior expresses this position by showcasing its reinforced concrete and timber frame. Instead of imitating the past through decorative finishes, the design recalls historical references through proportions and spatial sequences inspired by Palladian architecture and Venetian Villas. A modular 2+3=5 system organizes the interior, establishing both rhythm and order.
Spaces within the home are defined by structural repetition and by the balance of solid and void elements. Movement through the house reveals shifting visual diagonals and carefully framed perspectives of the rural landscape, connecting daily routines to the surrounding countryside. Seating areas, staircases, and double-height openings each create deliberate vantage points.
Light plays a key role, grazing walls and enhancing the warm tones of timber surfaces. The contrast between unfinished structural elements and refined herringbone parquet flooring heightens the dialogue between tradition and contemporaneity. While it maintains the rural ideal of seasonal living, the project simultaneously critiques restrictive planning policies, turning legislative limitations into an opportunity for architectural exploration and commentary.
Project Gallery
Project Location
Address: San Giorgio in Bosco, Padova, Italy
Location is for general reference and may represent a city or country, not necessarily a precise address.
