Natura January - February 2014 | Page 109

A path of the same marble leads to the pool-house, its smooth surfaces contrasting with the rough textures and patterns of the stonewalls. The building makes the most of the existing slope taking the form of a stone terrace placed at the same level of the pool. The north façade on the opposite side of the house from the pool consists of a series of stone blocks similar to ancient terraced stonewalls that also forms a counterpoint to an adjacent small, wooded area. The lighter glass structure on the upper volume “leans” on these stone blocks. Made up of a copper roof supported by a frame of slim iron pillars this steel and glass structure is conceived as a contemporary interpretation of the Tuscan barn typology. It contains spacious living areas linked to the pool and the landscape through fully glazed walls with iron frames. In the last decade, we have seen a significant increase of design using vernacular stone wall techniques in a modern way in global architecture. MDU’s interpretation of this architecture using natural stone terrace walls can be seen as a part of this trend where nature and the past are fused with a desire to live in modern setting that emphasize space and light. OCAK - ŞUBAT 2014 / JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2014 • NATURA 113