La Casa Rosa by Luigi Rosselli Architects and Arent&Pyke

Luigi Rosselli Architects have brought a sense of personalisation into their most recent project, playfully nicknamed ‘La Casa Rosa’ after principal Luigi Rosselli’s favourite childhood Italian holiday villa. By working within the confines of the original build and repurposing elements of the home, La Casa Rosa has a newfound focus on sustainable living, manifesting comfortable and inviting spaces to grow in.

Most of the home’s Gothic Revival style features were still intact, including ornate lacework, fretwork, intricate plaster detailing and elaborate timberwork. Luigi Rosselli Architects managed to retain the facade, with the inclusion of second-hand timber window frames.

The architects made no structural changes to the original home, instead, they turned their focus to the rear addition, ensuring it remained in proportion with the original home. Clad in dusty pink concrete, this new addition features a unique Brise Soleil screen derived from the original terracotta roof tiles, subtly revealing itself in the facade and wrapping itself around the first level of the home.

Inside, Luigi Rosselli Architects prioritised open-plan family living with a seamless transition to the outdoors. Salmon-coloured terrazzo floors distinguish the kitchen, where Luigi Rosselli’s signature curved island benchtop makes an appearance. Built-in American-made Wolf appliances add a sense of robustness to the elegant home; its signature red knobs punctuating the charred cabinetry. 

Neo-gothic style arches are appropriated in the contemporary black steel framing, offering a tailored glimpse of the pool and lush gardens. Luigi’s signature curves are felt through the pulpit-like staircase in the centre of the living room, without interrupting light flow. These curves reappear in the built-in gas living room fireplace and bespoke hallway joinery.

Perhaps the most striking room in the house, the master ensuite is a sanctuary created through the delicately-layered material palette. Every detail in this room has been carefully considered, from the handmade tiles made in the post-industrial era (a nod to the value of labour) to the travertine benchtops, chosen for their distinctly-Belgian appearance. The recycled-tile Brise Soleil screen allows the morning sun to pour through, creating interesting light patterns.

La Casa Rosa doesn’t feature air conditioning; instead, ceiling fans and large eaves keep the house cool, while hydronic panels heat up the home in the colder months. Large trees and dense vegetation in the backyard – thoughtfully preserved by the architects – also assist in shading the garden space. The 1980s pool was also revived, with a streamlined steel fence and terracotta and blue mosaic tiles.