In the heart of Imperia’s historic center, a long-abandoned ruin has been brought back to life through a careful and sensitive restoration by architect Davide Andracco. The project follows a distinctly tailor-made approach, shaped around the site’s specific conditions and the needs of a Swiss client, who transformed a derelict structure into a seaside retreat.

Originally uninhabitable, the building has been redefined through a precise process of subtraction, balancing respect for the existing fabric with a contemporary vision. During renovation works, an unexpected hypogeal basin—likely once used for water collection—was discovered beneath the living area. Rather than concealing it, the architect made it the project’s narrative core, visible through a structural glass floor supported by wooden beams that reinterpret the original slab and allow visual layering without heaviness.

A sequence of minimal staircases connects the different levels, including a seemingly suspended metal stair that crosses above the basin, embodying the shared concept of pure and light. The former main entrance now hosts the kitchen, discreetly inserted, while a small metal mezzanine enhances the sense of suspension and spatial complexity.

Custom-made elements, such as a sofa carved directly into the existing masonry and a wardrobe integrated beneath the bed, reinforce the project’s sartorial character and efficient use of space. The bathroom completes the sequence, where original brickwork meets a detached partition that integrates lighting and amplifies depth and lightness.

Vertical connections create an intricate, Escher-like spatial composition, turning constraints into opportunities. A restrained material palette and tone-on-tone colors avoid formal protagonism, instead enhancing the space’s intensity and energy.

The project exemplifies Davide Andracco’s ability to merge respect for material memory with contemporary design, achieving a controlled balance between gravity and lightness.

In the heart of Imperia’s historic center, a long-abandoned ruin has been brought back to life through a careful and sensitive restoration by architect Davide Andracco. The project follows a distinctly tailor-made approach, shaped around the site’s specific conditions and the needs of a Swiss client, who transformed a derelict structure into a seaside retreat.

Originally uninhabitable, the building has been redefined through a precise process of subtraction, balancing respect for the existing fabric with a contemporary vision. During renovation works, an unexpected hypogeal basin—likely once used for water collection—was discovered beneath the living area. Rather than concealing it, the architect made it the project’s narrative core, visible through a structural glass floor supported by wooden beams that reinterpret the original slab and allow visual layering without heaviness.

A sequence of minimal staircases connects the different levels, including a seemingly suspended metal stair that crosses above the basin, embodying the shared concept of pure and light. The former main entrance now hosts the kitchen, discreetly inserted, while a small metal mezzanine enhances the sense of suspension and spatial complexity.

Custom-made elements, such as a sofa carved directly into the existing masonry and a wardrobe integrated beneath the bed, reinforce the project’s sartorial character and efficient use of space. The bathroom completes the sequence, where original brickwork meets a detached partition that integrates lighting and amplifies depth and lightness.

Vertical connections create an intricate, Escher-like spatial composition, turning constraints into opportunities. A restrained material palette and tone-on-tone colors avoid formal protagonism, instead enhancing the space’s intensity and energy.

The project exemplifies Davide Andracco’s ability to merge respect for material memory with contemporary design, achieving a controlled balance between gravity and lightness.