DESIGN HEROS: Villa Mosca Bianca by Design Haus Liberty

Homes Editor: Petra Arko

Design Haus Liberty have built a modern house connected with rounded terraces on the Italian lake of Lago Maggiore.

The studio, led by Harvard educated architect Dara Huang, designed Villa Mosca Bianca as a holiday home for a retired couple who wanted a place where they could host family members on the shore of Lago Maggiore.

"The terraces were organically drawn almost as wings coming off the house," Huang says. "Each petal provides an opportunity to create a platform for the owner's hobbies such as yoga, eating, barbecue or hot tubbing."

The lakefront site dictated many aspects of Design Haus Liberty's design, including the need to raise the house three metres above the waterline.

Design Haus Liberty conceived of the house as comprising three layers, with a large sheltered deck connecting the outside space with the internal living area. At the heart of the building is a circular courtyard containing a 70-year-old bonsai tree. 
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Interiors were decorated in a neutral palette, chosen to minimise any distractions from the scenery. Stone is used throughout the to introduce a natural tone and texture to the otherwise minimal aesthetic.