00:07This cabin is a conversion of an open porch that was only serving as a storage area for bicycles.
00:17The building is located in Albino.
00:22It's a town based in Seriana Valley at the slopes of the aerobic mountains.
00:30The cabin is 25 square meters.
00:35It's 2.5 meters wide and 10 meters long. It's a very narrow space.
00:51I'm Francesca Perani. I'm an Italian architect, graphic designer and activist.
00:57The cabin is built in between two overlapping modern villas.
01:04One has been built in 1950s by Elia Acerbis, architect.
01:10And the other one by Armen Manoukian, architect in 1968.
01:18The clients are both of Persian-Italian origins with two kids.
01:25The client lives in the villa next door while the micro house has been conceived as a multi-purpose space
01:33that can host a studio, a retreat space for the owners or a guest house for relatives.
01:43The porch was completely open to the courtyard.
01:47It was a free space featuring a brick columnate and a stone wall.
01:53It was in dialogue with the main access to the property and the monumental staircase
01:58that is characterised by concrete moulding and perforated metal screen.
02:06The cabin has two main areas.
02:09The living room acting as a kitchen and as a bedroom and a blue bathroom.
02:15The clients also wanted a lot of storage space.
02:22The extreme narrowness of the existing building required a full custom design interior,
02:29where flexibility and multi-usage became the key factors.
02:36The cabin takes inspiration from Persian design and it's a celebration of colour and textures.
02:46I used Persian indigo blue, inspired from mosque tiles, for the entrance and the shower room.
02:54We used the affordable and recycled materials such as non-toxic OSB.
03:04Sustainable solutions were also privileged where possible,
03:08such as the greenery system on the rooftop of the building,
03:13reducing solar heat gain and contributing to the thermal benefits of the cabin.
03:19A playful metal screen was placed in front of the building,
03:24defining a triangular mini garden as a reference to ancient Persian arches
03:30and providing sun shading to the cabin.
03:39The entrance is divided from the main living room by a layer of perforated metal screen,
03:46which function also as a coat hanger.
03:52We have a floor-to-ceiling wardrobe, concealing a heating system,
03:58a desk, a space for washing machine and plenty of storage space.
04:07The living space is cladded entirely in OSB, which offers a dramatic contrast to the bright blue bathroom.
04:17It gives the space a sense of warm comfort.
04:23The window frames function as bench seats and have been designed at an angle to facilitate conversation.
04:31The blue edge of the frame creates a connection to the blue bathroom.
04:39I installed a 7m bench that acts as a seating area, a sleeping area and creates a storage underneath it.
04:50In the evening, the bench can be converted into two single beds with mattresses,
04:56which are kept in the storage underneath.
05:02For the kitchenette, we used printed marble pattern tiles to add texture to the space and echo the pattern of
05:11the OSB.
05:13Above the floating cabinet, I made a cut into the wall for allowing a little bit more light in.
05:23We managed to fit a sink, an area for an electric stove and a microwave.
05:31We also used 1960s recycled handles sourced from a local hardware store and used both in the kitchen and on
05:41the wardrobe area.
05:47In the bathroom, the shower opens out to the garden through a French door, connecting guests to the exterior and
05:55providing ventilation.
05:57While the perforated metal screen offers brightness.
06:02An existing stone wall adds texture and character to the shower space.
06:09Every surface has been finished in glossy blue resin and the bright white fittings stand out from the dark color,
06:17creating a dialogue with the retro handles.
06:22When designing a small space, everything needs to be customized and multifunctional, but the ending potential is enormous.
06:33My approach always tries to battle against straight lines and minimalist trends in order to offer a more dynamic way
06:41of living.
06:43My main purpose was to create a space with multiple uses, exploring a different culture on an otherwise unutilized urban
06:53space.
06:53My main purpose was to create a space with multiple uses, exploring a cement project from the area of the
06:56river.
06:56My main purpose was it, and it seemed to be possible to create a space with a container that is
07:00on the ground as you.
07:01My main purpose was to create a space with multiple uses of the city, and the windgang dot com the
07:02water.
07:02My main purpose was to create a space with multiple uses for a monthly use the acre of the home
07:05-wide water.
07:05You
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