This project involves the refurbishment of a masonry hut in Costa Smeralda, originally used as a beach bar in the 80s and later converted into a residence. Located very close to the shoreline, the property had untapped potential and required a sensitive exterior transformation to better respond to its landscape.
The intervention strengthens ties to local vernacular traditions through the use of pietra sarda as external cladding, grounding the building in its material and cultural context. A new veranda seamlessly extends the roofline, continuing the rhythm of chestnut beams and clay tiles of the existing roof to form a shaded outdoor space that improves thermal performance while refining the building’s proportions. This intervention visually lowers it and allows the building to recede behind vegetation and granite boulders so that the landscape remains dominant.
Despite expansive sea views, the site lacked privacy. A raised cobbled patio, oriented toward the horizon, acts as an outdoor belvedere, preserving these views. A dry-stone wall encloses the plot, screening it from the beach while maintaining a strong visual connection to the sea.
A secondary guest entrance leads directly to the night quarters, marked by a small projecting roof supported by a granite boulder uncovered during excavation.
In the garden, strategically positioned along the path between the beach access and the main house, a lightweight lath-and-plaster outbuilding houses a WC and massage room. It sits among boulders that screen outdoor showers shaded by vines.
