A brick wall perimeter gives Esse House privacy on the grounds of an Italian vineyard

Set between a walnut orchard and a vineyard in idyllic Forli, Italy, the Esse House by ellevuelle architetti replaces a crumbling family home with a single-story brick structure that blends in with the landscape

Designed in a linear scheme, the open and airy home is nestled between two extending brick walls, which create a private yard space for the family to enjoy. Capped with glass walls, the Esse House blurs the lines between outdoors and indoors, giving the family a private usage of the Italian countryside.

The director of the adjacent winery, his wife, two sons and elderly mother sought a new build to comfortably live near the vineyard without overshadowing it. The architects built the home’s thick stone walls as a way to visually reduce the impact of the house on the landscape, doubling as a privacy shield. In order to create further privacy for the client’s mother, the single volume home was divided into two sections, each facing their own private portion of the yard and garden on either side. Glass walls open each unit up to the outside, with sliding doors that can extend the interior to the exterior. Framed in rusted Cor-ten steel, the windows treat each view like an en plein air painting.

The architect’s design was meant to accentuate the natural features of the landscape. Wooden sunshades naturally filter sunlight, to help control temperature comfort, as well as limit the need for artificial lighting. Because of the ample sun in the region, the roof will be used for solar panels, as well as naturally heating water for the family’s use. The stone façade also helps to insulate the interior to further cut down on energy consumption.

The Esse house unifies two units that were designed to enjoy the beautiful landscape of the family’s vineyard.