A Small Genoa Apartment Packs in Functionality and Beauty

Aptly named “Tiny Grandeur,” a Genoa apartment by llabb makes the most of a small space while celebrating its luxurious, vibrant context. The 60-square-metre interior resides in a palazzo that overlooks the Piazza di San Giorgio. And while its proportions are humble, the home benefits from the rich architectural details — including ceiling frescoes and moulds, terrazzo flooring and generous windows — that the designers have preserved in their update. The firm, led by couple Luca Scardulla and Federico Robbiano, began as a carpentry studio and its custom solutions throughout this tiny gem speak of a deep appreciation for craftsmanship.

The main bedroom and bathroom are located opposite each other along the entry corridor.

In Tiny Grandeur, an apartment in Genoa by llabb, a glass insert in the bathroom wall filters in natural light, and makes the blue tile shimmer.

A glass insert in the bathroom wall filters in natural light, which makes the blue tile shimmer.

Llabb’s renovation of the Genoa apartment began with the opening up of the warren-like space, which consisted of three windowed rooms, a bathroom and an attic accessed via a staircase. The first thing the architects did was to demolish the attic and internal partitions. Instantly, the condition was ameliorated: With the attic gone, the interior’s height soared to 4.7 metres and a window that had been walled up was now revealed – and so was its view to the ancient market square.

In Tiny Grandeur, an apartment in Genoa by llabb, the main living space features a wall-hugging bookcase that integrates the kitchen cabinetry. Dining table is Frate by Enzo Mari for Driade; chairs are by Connubia.

The main living space features a wall-hugging bookcase that integrates the kitchen cabinetry. Frate dining table by Enzo Mari for Driade; chairs by Connubia.

Next came the incorporation of ingenious space-maximizing solutions. The client couple — a digital and comms strategist and a photography festival curator — needed ample space to store their books, catalogues and artworks but they also wanted a place where friends could feel welcome.

In Tiny Grandeur, an apartment in Genoa by llabb, a custom-crafted spatial device performs multiple functions: It houses a staircase to the mezzanine and storage for the main bedroom and it integrates the living room sofa.

A custom-crafted spatial device performs multiple functions: It houses a staircase to the mezzanine, storage for the main bedroom, and it also integrates a living room sofa.

The architects organized the private zone of bedroom, pantry and bathroom near the entry, where the hallway is a compressed corridor that you traverse to reach the capacious heart of the apartment. On this end of the interior, the open kitchen, dining and living area benefits from the abundant sunlight that streams in through four large windows, measuring four metres high, two of which face the dome of the Church of San Giorgio.

Tiny Grandeur, an apartment by llabb in Genoa, has a living area furnished with a couch is Tangram, by Biba Salotti; Sampei floor lamp by Davide Groppi; and String pendant by Michael Anastassiades for Flos.

The furnishings throughout the home are considered. The couch is Tangram, by Biba Salotti; Sampei floor lamp by Davide Groppi; and String pendant by Michael Anastassiades for Flos.

The kitchen cabinetry is integrated into a wall library equipped with a track ladder. This is just one of the great ideas in this compact interior. Another is what the architects call a custom-made, multifaceted “spatial device.” Its main function is to serve as a staircase to the mezzanine, but it also integrates storage for the main-level bedroom and its opaline glass screen brings borrowed light into that same space. It also provides a perch for the living room sofa. It’s accented by a light white tubular handrail that introduces an elegant geometric flourish of its own.

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A Small Genoa Apartment Packs in Functionality and Beauty

In the main bedroom, a wall cutout provides access to storage that is built into the staircase that leads up to the mezzanine.

Situated where the attic once was, the mezzanine is lined in okoumé plywood – the same finish as the bookcase. It contains a workspace and, just beyond, a futon for guests. A curved volume, it echoes the contours of the bathroom just below it, where light filters through a vertical glass insert with slate mullions that makes the small space feel airy.

The mezzanine is furnished with a workspace and, raised on a plinth behind it, a futon for overnight guests.

Throughout the Genoa apartment by llabb, the original terrazzo floor knits together a space that combines old and new. Terrazzo is ubiquitous in Italy and considered a humble material; in this home, it’s hardworking and practical. And as the architects say, “Though it’s not particularly ornate, it serves as a testament to the architectural history of the Liguria region.” The firm also preserved the decorative stuccoes on the ceiling, which date back to the early 20th century.

A curious detail in the ceiling trim hints at the architects’ – and clients’ – sense of levity.

And here, they injected a dose of humour. Where there was a missing corner stucco, they replicated the original style but put a contemporary spin on it. Using 3D printing it, they integrated a Lego-like figurine into their version — “an amusing Easter egg,” they say, that “reflects the playful nature of the studio and its clients.” Tiny Grandeur, indeed.