We had the distinct pleasure to interview award winning designer Barbara Fassoni about their original and creative Penthouse Flat design work. Barbara Fassoni is an award-winning architectural designer, that makes our world a better place with their original penthouse flat works.
Barbara Fassoni ("BF") answered Design Interview ("DI") questions about their award-winning work Private Penthouse Flat. Interview questions prepared by Frank Scott.
BF : Private Interior penthouse flat is designed for a couple with two teenagers. The architectural concept was to create an interior space structured on two levels. The first is designed for the family, the latter to accommodate guests. The inspirations of this project are many, and they all aim to restore the dichotomy between a closed and private space on the lower floor and open and public space on the rooftop floor.
BF : This project has changed and grown as the awareness of all the people involved grew with the evolution of the site. It started with a straightforward program which was then enriched with a level of complexity that was not initially assessed.
BF : This award is an important encouragement to keep our focus on our projects. We will make this award-winning design more exposed to give our practice a boost in the design and architecture developers environment.
BF : It has been a very long and complicated process being inside a building with more flats, under construction — about three years.
BF : A new client commissioned this design.
BF : It is a penthouse flat for my clients’ daily life.
BF : We are professional architects.
BF : We admire minimalist designers or who aim at a certain sense of understated elegance. Architects such as Citterio and Partners among the Italians, Vincent Van Duysen among the northern European, and Pitsou Kedem in the Mediterranean area. Three completely different styles that we find very interesting.
BF : A private client who appreciates a modern lifestyle.
BF : We tried to develop a new concept for a walled garden with a modern approach.
BF : The Private name Interior, Penthouse Flat, came up thinking on the whole process I followed to support my client’s idea. His obsession for a private place, far from prying eyes and overall safe, was the main guideline. It’s a “private” interior indeed.
BF : Everything could be useful to explain and to support our project: from pictures to movies, from renders to small models, and presentations with Revit and AutoCAD drawings.
BF : The calm and brightness of the rooftop garden where natural light is optimised by four large sliding roof lights 6x2 m each divided into three sliding glass panels.
BF : I worked with my team to elaborate on the proposal and to follow the construction detail by detail. An excellent team of constructors has supported me.
BF : The skylights' construction was particularly demanding. Some irregularities in the roof and the size of the glazed voids required an exceptional design and an extended tuning of the sliding system.
BF : My client's satisfaction influences my design. The research conducted is above all in the context of living comfort, materials and light.
BF : We didn’t have particular issues during realisation because a proper constructor’s team supported us. The pose of the stair’s glasses - 4.5-metre-high smoked glass panels and suspended balustrade - required ten people because of their dimensions, but rooftop's natural light is optimised by four sizeable sliding roof lights 6x2 m each divided into three sliding glass panels who pose was challenging because of the sliding mechanism and the rain.
BF : We wanted our outstanding project to be recognised and get more known.
BF : It was an excellent experience for me that pushed me out my comfort zone and forced me to face a complexity that I haven’t manage in my previous experience.
BF : No, thank you.
