Stretching languidly from April to October, Sicily’s holiday season is blissfully long. To design a house that makes the most of this elongated summer’s charms takes an architect who understands the climate and landscape. So says Gordon Guillaumier, whose Milan-based studio is behind some of the most stylish residences around Noto in the south of the island.
Describing his aesthetic as ‘laid-back, contemporary architecture that is not edgy’, Guillaumier knows a holiday home is a different proposition to an ordinary residential build: ‘For the client it’s an investment, but it’s also special because it’s their escape. My role is to interpret that spirit and make that dream come true.’
A French couple contacted him after admiring his work. ‘Even though the approach was “We like that house, we want something similar”, I try to give each project its own personality,’ he says.
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The result is ‘Casa Infinita’, a villa that’s unapologetically contemporary, yet deeply rooted in its location. From the materials and techniques used in its construction to the layout, every aspect shields the inhabitants from the scorching sun while making the most of life outdoors. With its shaded terraces and cool, dark interiors, it proposes a modern vernacular style that adapts centuries-old knowledge about living well in such a climate, while adding something new to the design conversation.
Guillaumier started, as always, with the area’s geography, in this case the semi-arid landscape outside Noto, with vineyards, olive trees and the sea as a backdrop. The site is on an imposing hillside: ‘You have to deal with the gradient, you have to create terracing… It’s challenging,’ he admits, ‘but at the same time it works better, because you don’t just have a building that looks like modern volumes sticking out of the hill, which I dislike.’
The building’s dramatic apertures are a signature of Guillaumier’s work, inspired by mid-century American architecture: ‘I love having this free flow where there are no walled boundaries.’ In Sicily, temperatures can hit 44 degrees Celsius, which means areas that cast shadow are essential. ‘It’s important to cool the house sustainably,’ he adds, ‘because if you have large rooms open to the elements, that heat comes in. We try to create an oasis effect using awnings, architectural devices and vegetation.’
While Guillaumier’s buildings aim for subtlety, he can never resist adding a visual punctuation mark. In this case, it is a changing room for guests that sits poolside, wrapped like a birthday gift in striped bands of blue-and-white majolica tiles. Laughing, he describes this space as a ‘parcel’. ‘It’s an ironic feature,’ he adds, ‘but I think it works really well in the context, because it creates a focal point.’
Inside, a sober palette of browns and greys is lifted by the odd splash of pink. It’s the antithesis to the typical white holiday-villa aesthetic, but Guillaumier sees sophistication in these tones’ simplicity, explaining that they blend with the landscape and absorb the light. ‘You have this earthy feel about the architecture, which is almost emerging from the ground. These colours work well with the blue sky. I find them more relaxing, more soothing to the eye.’
Guillaumier’s refusal to conform to what’s expected extends to subtly concealing technology. ‘We try to give a roundedness to our projects. Even though they are very well-equipped and comfortable to live in, we want that sensation of something warm and human. All that’s stark and bright and edgy is what we don’t want!’ he says.
Today, the architect is just happy to see the house fulfilling its potential. ‘These owners are bon vivants,’ he says, ‘so it’s not just a family home, but also a home for friends. Architecture is beautiful when it’s used the way it should be, otherwise it just becomes
a monument.’ Whether bon vivant or dolce vita, Casa Infinita is living the good life. gordon-guillaumier.com
