D-Vision dwellings

Andrea Frapolli with  Guidotti Architetti, 2022-23

The parcel, characterized by a steep average slope (approximately 60%), is located near the center of Daro. The site offers many advantages, both in terms of landscape and services. The presence of the small church of Daro, the view of the Bellinzona castles, and the connection with the railway site below, combined with the idyllic natural setting, make the situation unsettling. The land is not directly accessible by road, but only by a public footpath. The lack of a road determines the architecture.

To avoid unnecessary and costly excavations and earthworks, each of the four residential units rests on a single central pillar, within which all the building's vertical connections pass. The pillars are connected at their tops by an inverted beam that, in addition to suspending the entire dwelling, serves as a technical body. This construction choice emphasizes the connection between the interior spaces of the apartments and the existing natural terrain. The long, low building rests on a shady plinth and creates a contrast of mass with the nearby church.