Villa RA by Morq is a wonderful example of Mediterranea culture. The project was the finalist of The Plan Award 2019 and it was completed in 2018.
Some words from the architect - "Villa RA stems from the desire of our clients to return to their roots in Calabria with the project of a summer retreat. They imagined this retreat as a place of respite and reconnection; a place from which to enjoy the virtues of their land in a way that is harmonious with not only the landscape, but also the tradition of living in such a place.
To dwell in Calabria is to firmly locate oneself in the Mediterranean landscape. Calabria is the southernmost part of mainland Italy protruding between the Tyrrhenian and Ionian seas. It is defined through a long and narrow peninsula with the Aspromonte massif in its southernmost tip bordered by the sea on three sides. This unique mountainous structure is full of ridges with terraces slopping down towards the sea. Our client’s site, located atop one of these ridges, degrades towards the Gulf of Squillace, around 300m above sea level. Situated as such, one’s experience is either loftily transported through views down toward the sea in the south and mountains in the west, or it is anchored into the land by the ancient granite boulders protruding from the earth.
Whilst the house is primarily designed for two people, our clients also wanted to be able to host and enjoy the pleasures of cooking for friends, family and larger gatherings. As such, the program called for large living areas indoor and outdoor, a generous kitchen with an outdoor service area, an ensuite bedroom, and a quarter for the staff. The desire to connect these spaces to the sea-view and the surrounding landscape was not only set out in the brief, but an innate and ever present aspect of the project.
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