The homeowners of this Brutalist-inspired bolthole, nestled amongst an olive grove in the Italian foothills of Amiata Mount in the Tuscan Maremma called on esteemed local architects Gardini Gibertini Architects (GGA) to design an architectural masterpiece for them and their extended family.

Shaping a design-led collaboration that honours GGA and Viabizzuno founder Mario Nanni’s mutual ideology, we explore the ingenuity behind the HV Pavilion. Join us as we illuminate the details that make up this Italian country home and its special relationship with Viabizzuno lighting.

In partnership with vboaustralia

Architects Alice Gardini and Nicola Gibertini of GGA have expertly honed their architectural calling cards when it comes to built form. One of which is their unique ability to restore a captivating dialogue between the past and the present. Taking pride in applying locally sourced materials, such as ancient stone, to construct new, contemporary forms of living, the GGA team champion architectural reinvention and pays tribute to the local land.

HV Pavilion presents all these traits. Blurring the boundaries between the surrounding olive grove and intimate spaces within, GGA have honoured a classic geometric architectural structure through which its residents can enjoy the tranquil surroundings of the rolling Italian ‘campagna’. Compact and cohesive in proportions, HV Pavilion celebrates the local rural tradition of using dry-stone walls to ensure the building pays tribute to its rich history and is enveloped in the landscape.

Inspired by Roman-Italic design, the rooms within the pavilion are geometrically configured around a central patio. Eight ‘boxes’ outlined in natural wood are anchored to a seemingly floating concrete platform. “The floor is made of cementitious resin, and it has the colour of sun-scorched grass in the warmer months and chestnut leaves in autumn,” Nicola says.

While HV Pavilion encompasses the archetypal principles of Mediterranean architecture, both in construction and materials, the interior offers a contemporary contrast and presents an intelligent aesthetic. Joining forces with Viabizzuno to design all the lighting elements throughout HV Pavilion was a deliberate move to celebrate local craftsmanship throughout the home.

The original Maestro of light, Mario Nanni is the founder behind Italian-based Viabizzuno, a globally recognised architectural lighting firm that shares fundamental design ideologies with Alice Gardini and Nicola Gibertini. Mario Nanni believes that “architecture is a projection of light” and that all too often, light is a corrective measure to hide or improve something that has already taken shape. “Light is a fundamental part of the architecture, so it is essential to design the right light,” Mario says.

Both inside and outside the pavilion, it made perfect sense for GGA to select state-of-the-art lighting proudly designed and manufactured in Italy. Viabizzuno prides itself on Italian craftsmanship, which is backed by ongoing precision-based research. “In 1994 I founded Viabizzuno, as I felt there wasn’t a company in the world that, rather than dealing mainly with design, wanted to put lighting first and treat it as a key element of the architecture,” Mario Nanni says.

Standout lighting elements include the n55 ceiling spotlights seen throughout, the Profilo GC pendant overlooking dining space and Econo Track Light which makes a statement above the kitchen island.

HV Pavilion is a design that sits effortlessly at the intersection between tradition and innovation. Intended as a ‘spatial mechanism for admiring the surrounding nature’ the pavilion rightly claims its belonging to place, its unique Italian history and Brutalist-modernism all at once.

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