Who is Giuseppe Guerrieri?
Born in Ragusa in 1977, Giuseppe Gurrieri graduated in Architecture at the Politecnico di Milano.
After graduating, he worked for several years with the studio of Maria Giuseppina Grasso Cannizzo in Vittoria. From 2008 to 2012, in parallel with his professional activity, he taught at the Faculty of Architecture in Stockholm. He is the founder of Giuseppe Gurrieri Studio, based in Ragusa, which relies on the collaboration of qualified professionals. The studio operates in both the private and public building sectors, from new construction to building renovations and from the landscape architecture to the interior design. The studio’s work has been presented at several universities, conventions and conferences and has won several national and international awards including:1st prize at the III RI.U.SO AWARD organised by the NATIONAL COUNCIL OF ARCHITECTS
- 2nd prize at the XI edition of the INTERNATIONAL PRIZE FOR SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE
- Finalist at the GOLD MEDAL FOR ITALIAN ARCHITECTURE 2015
- Selected for the MIES VAN DER ROHE AWARD 2017
- 1st prize IN/ARCH SICILY 2020
What is the most important focus when starting a new project?The relationship with the context is our starting point in all projects, especially in this one, which had as its final result the mimesis of the house with the surrounding landscape. By mimesis we also mean the eco-sustainable and environmentally friendly aspect of its low impact architecture.
Can you tell us more about Casa ECS?
In this area, the land follows its natural slope towards the sea: a sequence of terraces, contained by dry stone walls and where plantations with olive and carob trees fade into the horizon. The project aims to achieve a calibrated and essential grafting in the landscape. The building has a low environmental impact, both from a visual and landscape insertion point of view and in terms of energy performance. The directing idea for the project was the construction of a stone-clad retaining wall as an element of further terracing, which creates the appropriate height difference for the structure to be inserted into the surroundings, creating an addition that is consistent with the countryside and historical nature of the cultivated landscape. This wall contains the stairs that connect the two levels of the land and becomes the main façade of the residence, which, thanks to the roof-garden, is totally integrated into its context. The same logical thought and attention to the historical sedimentation in the landscape guided the decision to create two courtyards on the north side, by subtracting a portion of the land. In the architectural plan, the spaces are organised by geometric regularity and by the similarity between both perspectives: the living room and the workshop face the courtyards on the north side and face the sea in the south side. This design choice gives the perception that the landscape crosses the interior space of the house.
In your opinion, what role can a door play in a project?
Doors help to define the internal distribution of space in a project. Design, finishings and opening systems are a structural part of the interior’s architecture.
What made you choose Ermetika products?
Because for us they are quality products, they are reliable and have an attractive design. For our projects, we always trust on products that allow us to express our ideas effectively. Ermetika provides us with a wide choice of products, quality certifications and exclusive aesthetics that complement and integrate perfectly with the planned architectures.
