The Stealth: the invisible villa landed on Lake Lugano

A

A large, bright and open villa is almost imperceptibly inserted into the mountainous landscape that gradually descends to the lake. Its name, Stealth, encapsulates the concept that inspired the project by ZMB Architettura on the banks of Lake Lugano.

Stealth, the technology that makes an aircraft imperceptible to radar, is created by using a complex system of specific geometries, special paneling and sophisticated paints. Stealth technology is “a system of devices of various natures that allows one to reduce exposure to the observation of others.” In this case, it concerns taking a step back and allowing the lake’s enchanting landscape to remain the highlight. 

The wide and spacious living room opens onto the veranda and lakeside garden. The cement resin floor flows from inside to outside, highlighting the continuity between the spaces.

With its decomposed volumes, materials and colors, the villa is almost invisibly inserted onto the cliff descending to the shore. At the entrance patio a pool of water foreshadows the lake's presence on the other side.

Spread over three levels and two wings in decomposed and misaligned volumes, the villa never reveals its full dimensions. In reality, despite its terraced levels, it seems like a one-floor villa with large horizontal spaces that fluidly traverse one another.

The heart of the home is the large living area where the wings, coming from different heights along the slope, the entrance patio and the lakeside veranda meet. The automized glass walls that section off the space allow both sides to be opened, removing any border between indoors and outdoors. Organized as a large meeting space around two groups of modular sofas by Molteni&C, it offers a series of different points of view from which to enjoy the landscape or family and friends. 

In the living room, customizable sofa compositions thanks to the Free Style system by Ferruccio Laviani matched with iconic pieces like the D.156.3 armchair designed by Gio Ponti, the Elain small armchair by Vincent Van Duysen and the Edge carpet designed by Nicola Gallizia, all by Molteni&C.

In the dining room, a minimalist table, custom-designed for the space by the architect Giacomo Zamboni of ZMB Architettura. The partly exposed cement walls and panels offer a boiserie look.

The living room, dining room and kitchen atmosphere is characterized by minimalism with the simple and sharp lines desired by the homeowners. Acting as a background to the designer furniture, there is abstract scenery made up of a balanced contrast of light and dark surfaces. The uneven light grey cement resin floors and exposed cement walls contrast the black-paneled boiserie walls and black semi-gloss wood-effect ceilings. The kitchen is perfectly integrated with the living room, recalling the black-paneled theme with tall handle-less cabinets.

The Hi-Line 6 kitchen by Dada was designed by Ferruccio Laviani. Its rigorous and minimal design recalls the paneled living room.

The wall panels also cover the doors, allowing them to disappear from sight.

To the left the Kensington armchair designed by Rodolfo Dordoni and the MHC.1 storage unit by Werner Blaser, both by Molteni&C. To the right the stairs leading upstairs.

To the left a walk-in closet Gliss Master designed by Vincent Van Duysen for Molteni&C, to the right a spa area.

With the exteriors camouflaged and the interiors’ minimal design, The Stealth villa achieves the project’s preset goal: allowing the enchanting landscape to be the star of the show. Supporting the scene, and not only, is the designer furniture that allows one to serenely face the idea that it will eventually get dark outside. 

Design project

Lakeside Villa    
Location: Morcote, Switzerland

Furniture supplied by: 
Molteni&C
>> Brand Channel Molteni&C 
Dada
>> Brand Channel Dada

Project:
ZMB Architettura
Arch. Giacomo Zamboni
Lugano, Switzerland
with
Atelier RiBo +  
Cadenazzo, Switzerland

Photos:
Courtesy Molteni&C | Dada