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La dolce vita
Inspired by the owners’ Italian heritage, this house offers a modern
interpretation of traditional Mediterranean island architecture
It’s easy to conjure up a picture of the
Mediterranean islands off the coast of
Italy and Greece, where sun-kissed whitewashed buildings are contrasted by a deep
blue sea and a vivid sky.
The character and sense of escape that
define such islands has influenced the
design of this new house overlooking the
Swan River in Perth.
Architect Anthony Rechichi says he
has known the owners for many years,
and designed their former home.
“The family is originally from Sicily

and has a very proud Italian heritage that
I wanted to reference in the design. There
are similarities between the Mediterranean
islands and this site, which is perched up
high, with sweeping 180° views across the
deep blue river to the city beyond.
“There was a clear opportunity to
provide a Modernist interpretation of the
archetypal Mediterranean architecture.
Preceding pages and these pages: This new house
by architect Anthony Rechichi is a composition of
layered planes, solid forms and transparent voids.

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It seemed an appropriate design response
to the site.”
On both the exterior and interior, the
house appears as a layered composition of
horizontal and vertical planes.
“The design also contrasts solid forms
with voids and transparency, establishing a dialogue between open and closed
elements,” says Rechichi. “And there is
a sense of attachment and detachment.
Some forms appear to float, while others
are anchored, and punctuations in the
facade are contrasted by extrusions.”