House in S. Abbondio by Wespi De Meuron

This concrete cube, sitting atop an angled site by Lake Maggiore
This concrete cube, sitting atop an angled site by Lake Maggiore, is the latest residential offering by Swiss design duo Markus Wespi and Jerome de Meuron.
(Image credit: Hannes Henz)
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The house is located in the small village of S'Abbondio

Finished in autumn 2012, the house is located in the small village of S'Abbondio, a stone's throw from the Italian border

(Image credit: press)

Created for a design conscious family as their holiday home

Created for a design-conscious family as their holiday home - and possibly their primary residence in future - the structure is a contemporary environment of warmth, shelter and comfort in the village's suburban setting

(Image credit: press)

The house is located in a relatively new area with different houses around

'The house is located in a relatively new area with different houses around (some built and some in planning) and the concept was to create a simple cube with a certain abstraction to avoid competition,' says de Meuron

(Image credit: press)

The structure encompasses three floors with the entrance at the lower part of the site

The structure encompasses three floors with the entrance at the lower part of the site

(Image credit: press)

The main living spaces are on the third level, with the bedrooms on the floors below

The main living spaces are on the third level, with the bedrooms on the floors below

(Image credit: press)

The open plan kitchen and living room

The open plan kitchen and living room

(Image credit: press)

Oak wooden accents for cupboards, furniture and windows soften the grey concrete walls

Oak wooden accents (for cupboards, furniture and windows) soften the grey concrete walls

(Image credit: press)

Interior views of House Sant Abbondio

The interior is welcoming, contemporary, bright and open

(Image credit: press)

Interior views of Living room and kitchen

The lines of the concrete bring in pattern to the living room and kitchen

(Image credit: press)

Open terrace area of House Sant Abbondio

The sheltered terrace

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The stairs of the house

The stairwell

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Bedroom view of House Sant Abbondio

Square windows frame the views in one of the bedrooms

(Image credit: TBC)

The part planted roof doubles as a sundeck

The part-planted roof doubles as a sundeck

(Image credit: TBC)

Sweeping views across the lake

Sweeping views across the lake

(Image credit: TBC)

House exterior with concrete walls

The naked concrete structure's irregularly placed windows of varied sizes and minimal frames create a playful façade

(Image credit: TBC)
Ellie Stathaki

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).

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