Vimar’s positive energy for a penthouse in the Bologna hills

A dialogue between architecture and nature

Here, a vision of living takes shape where architecture and nature intertwine: expansive glazing and deep balconies extend the domestic space outwards, whilst exposed brickwork and concrete outline an essential architectural language that brings together restraint, warmth and character.

It is upon this foundational structure that architect Martina Gaiba (of Studio MpiùG) has introduced her restoration project. By merging two overlapping apartments, she has redesigned a penthouse that stands in direct dialogue with her family heritage and the original work of her grandfather, Enrico Schiavina. The project strengthens the indoor-outdoor connection inherent to the original architecture while reorganising the internal layout. Eliminating the corridor expands the living area and makes it more fluid, while subtle changes in level and precise spatial solutions introduce greater architectural articulation, guiding the journey through the home. Within this system, the fireplace, positioned at the heart of the layout, emerges as both the visual and symbolic focal point of the residence. Consistently, the technical installations are integrated with utmost discretion: false ceilings and wood panelling create “recessed features” designed to house the technical components without compromising room heights, thereby enriching the overall interior design.

Home automation and design

Vimar solutions find their perfect place in this dialogue between heritage and innovation. The By-me Plus home automation system allows for complete management of the property - from lighting and roller shutter automation to climate control and energy consumption monitoring - guaranteeing operational reliability even in the event of network irregularities, while promoting a more efficient, conscious use of energy, which can also be managed remotely via the View App. This system integrates with the security system, which combines By-alarm Plus burglar alarm system and Elvox CCTV video surveillance, complete with Bullet cameras to monitor the outdoor terraces and the roof garden. The overarching supervision of these systems converges into the touch screens: central control points featuring a simple, user-friendly layout designed to make the day-to-day management of the living spaces completely effortless. To complete the project, the home automation technology is integrated with the elegant Eikon Exé wiring series, featuring Vintage controls in brushed dark bronze. This choice evokes the past through details like the toggle switches, which bring back a tactile sensation and sonic quality with a refined retro character. The bronze, which is also echoed in the fireplace cladding, becomes an element of material continuity, helping to unify and harmonise the entire design.

Between materiality and vision

Consequently, the overall palette privileges natural materials that are faithful to the building’s era - such as thermo-treated oak, lime plasters, and marbles - establishing a calibrated balance between heritage and the contemporary, while the home’s atmosphere draws inspiration from an early 20th Century Secessionist painting, from which its colour tones and luminous nuances are derived.

From this perspective, within a design process born out of a close dialogue with the client and nurtured by rich cultural references, art becomes the connection point between the identity of the building and that of its inhabitants. At the same time, Vimar technology establishes itself as a discreet, contemporary presence, capable of accompanying and enhancing the daily experience of the living spaces.

Eikon Exé with Vintage Controls

Impeccable looks and advanced features combine to produce simply extraordinary results. The Eikon Exé wiring series stands out for its design and finishes with high technology solutions devised to evolve side-by-side with lifestyles, making the electrical system unique. It’s designed to be sustainable.

The mesmerising silhouettes of the past have been restyled with a modern twist to give settings an exclusive, slightly retro style. They offer perfectly matching styling, sophisticated yet at the same time pure and linear, between the controls and the Eikon Exé cover plate in the same finish.