Italian architect Alfredo Vanotti designs house in the Alps as an ‘inhabited terrace’

The sense of uncluttered minimalism of Casa G makes visiting this bespoke home in northern Italy a truly relaxing experience. Its architect, Sondrio based Italian Alfredo Vanotti, admits to aiming to create a space that felt calm and in touch with the outdoors, like an ‘inhabited terrace', he says.
When his client approached him for a house on a beautiful spot among vineyards, in a historical town on the Rhaetian side of the Alps, the architect jumped at the opportunity. The brief described a house that would be ‘clean, simple and relaxing', and Vanotti dully obliged, taking his cues from modernist architecture and the nearby mountains (in particular the long vistas towards the Bergamasque Alps).
By creating long expanses of glass covered openings and placing the structure in a way that follows its elongated plot – whose long side looks out towards the nearby hills and mountains in the distance, the architect achieved a house that captures the sun throughout the year and in all seasons. A 35m-long infinity pool runs parallel to the house's clean, orthogonal, low shape, and mirrors the surroundings, while enhancing the building's ethereal linearity.
Built mostly in naked concrete and glass, the structure uses Sky-Frame openings – a sophisticated Swiss system of frameless, sliding windows, one of which spans an impressive 35m and the entire living room, looking out towards the water. This cleverly accentuates the overall sense of clarity and design simplicity.
‘The result is an almost invisible home that blends into the land, where you can enjoy the tranquillity of the landscape', says Vanotti.
INFORMATION
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
The Sinclair name is back, attached to a pocket-sized games console with an educational edge
Grant Sinclair’s name is freighted with early computing history. Wallpaper* tapped up the British inventor to find out more about his new GamerCard console and other innovation
-
Beloved sushi restaurant Sōgo Roll Bar comes to Highland Park
The sushi hangout begins a new chapter in its second location, becoming the perfect spot for a quick grab-and-go or a relaxed tasting experience in east LA
-
Japanese designer Shinichiro Ogata's latest venture is a modern riff on the traditions of his home country
As he launches Saboe, a series of new tearooms and shops across Japan, we delve into Shinichiro Ogata's creative vision, mirrored throughout the spaces and objects, rituals and moments of his projects
-
A guide to Renzo Piano’s magic touch for balancing scale and craft in architecture
Prolific and innovative, Renzo Piano has earned a place among the 20th century's most important architects; we delve into his life and career in this ultimate guide to his work
-
How was Carlo Ratti’s ‘Intelligens’? Wallpaper* editors discuss the 19th Venice Biennale
Having visited ‘Intelligens’, the 19th Venice Biennale's main show by curator Carlo Ratti, the Wallpaper* editors discuss what they saw at the world's biggest global architecture festival
-
Discover architect Ico Parisi’s modernist sanctuaries on the banks of Lake Como
A string of sculptural sanctuaries by architect Ico Parisi on the banks of Lake Como helped cement the area as the heartland of Italian modernism; we explore his work in an article from the Wallpaper* archives
-
Explore this new Lake Como villa and its powerful, cinematic views
A Lake Como villa by Tuckey Design Studio celebrates the history of its site and references the surrounding landscape through materiality
-
2026 Olympic and Paralympic Torches: in Carlo Ratti's minimalism ‘the flame is the protagonist’
The 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Torches for the upcoming Milano Cortina Games have been revealed, designed by architect Carlo Ratti to highlight the Olympic flame
-
Anni Albers' weaving magic offers a delightful 2-in-1 modernist showcase in Milan
A Milan Design Week showcase of Anni Albers’ weaving work, brought to life by Dedar with the Josef & Anni Albers Foundation, brings visitors to modernist icon, the BBPR-designed Torre Velasca
-
Milan Design Week: ‘A Beat of Water’ highlights the power of the precious natural resource
‘A Beat of Water’ by BIG - Bjarke Ingels Group and Roca zooms in on water and its power – from natural element to valuable resource, touching on sustainability and consumption
-
This Milan Design Week installation invites you to tread barefoot inside a palazzo
At Palazzo Litta, Moscapartners and Byoung Cho launch a contemplative installation on the theme of migration