Marco Ortalli’s Concrete Spectacular: Casa RBS

On the northern edge of Italy, in the historic center of Erba, Marco Ortalli has designed an angular concrete home: ‘Casa RBS’.

The geometric nature of the building was determined by the awkward, triangular shape of the plot upon which it was built. In order to maximize usable outdoor space, the house has been built to the perimeter of the site: edged with a blind wall with a thin strip of windows at its top. This organization of the construction has allowed space for a private patio and garden around which the main living areas of the home are oriented. Windows from the living area offer vistas out onto the garden and allow for light to enter the house. Inside, white walls and okoumé marine-grade plywood offer reflective surfaces that maximize this natural illumination. Whilst upstairs holds the living areas, below the house in the board marked-concrete basement, there is a large heated pool lit by a skylight that doubles as the patio’s glass floor.