This house is located in a small town in northern Italy — in the town of Andalo, part of the Trentino‑Alto Adige region in the province of Trento. The existing building stands on a plot within the protected historic core and is surrounded on three sides by structures of similar character. Originally, the building served agricultural functions: the ground floor was used as a cellar, the second floor as living space, the third floor as a stable for livestock, and the uppermost floor as a hay storage. Currently, the building is abandoned and unused. The complex shape of the structure is typical of the organic urban fabric of an old Italian town. Property ownership issues also present challenges. The main façades step back from the street line toward the interior of the plot, and the house fills the remaining space between neighboring buildings — truly a house between houses.

The design concept respects the character of the surrounding historic buildings. The house grows inward while appearing untouched externally — calm and balanced. The new residential function introduces only very subtle interventions into the building’s external expression. The design makes use of the two primary façades that are exposed (approximately 30% of the surface compared to a freestanding house with four free façades). The spaces adjacent to these façades are the most important in the entire house, as they are where the main living rooms are placed. Hallways, bathrooms, and toilets are positioned behind the living spaces. At the core of the house’s layout is the primary staircase, which vertically connects the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors. Designing two main entrances on different levels makes the house more accessible and also allows for the future possibility of dividing it into two independent living units. Another key aspect of the proposal is raising the roof to increase both the clear height and the usable floor area of the top level, where the main living room is located.

The top floor becomes the heart of the entire house, featuring a beautiful view over the town of Andalo. The most significant space here is the living room, complete with a large dining table, comfortable seating, and a play area. The two façades — the visible surfaces of the building — echo the layered character found on houses in the surroundings: stone character in the cellar, plaster on the second floor, and wooden cladding of battens on the third and fourth floors.

The house comprises four habitable levels. Each floor, including the fourth and topmost, has its own entrance. On the first floor, we propose maintaining the wine cellar, connected to a small front garden created by shifting the façade away from the street. This front garden can be used for parking or as a small sheltered space for a table and chairs. On the second floor, the main entrance is also on the front — up the main staircase to a balcony, from which one enters inside. The second floor accommodates the main bedroom with an en‑suite bathroom, storage, and an internal staircase connecting all the upper floors. The third floor, which can also be accessed from a northern entrance, includes two bedrooms and a bathroom, with the main corridor behind the living spaces offering additional storage potential. The shared living room and large kitchen are located on the highest, fourth floor. The layout is organized so that the house can potentially be divided into two separate residential units in the future.

We chose to respect the existing structure of the building and avoid excessive changes. In the cellar, old stone vaults remain, visibly connected to the neighboring houses. On the second and third floors, we preserve the existing structure while adding a new staircase core in the background. The fourth floor is designed as an additional new layer in the structure, with three platform areas in the layout. Here, we introduce supporting columns that carry the newly elevated roof structure. The roof itself is raised by 80 cm to enlarge both clear height and usable space in the primary living area.