Le vele bianche

The concept of this Block of apartments was inspired by the sea that surrounds Sicily. The nautical world is full of fascinating objects which can serve as an inspiration. This was transferred on the building “Vele Bianche Residence". The intention was to create an architecture that could recall the same quality and care for details typical of the nautical design. Located in via Sacro Cuore, one of the main and most lively street in Modica city centre, the “Vele Bianche Residence” counts five stories, twenty apartments and two commercial spaces. By keeping a distance of 6 meters from the street, the external area though still a private property was meant to be used by everyone, creating a pleasant outdoor space that filters the building from the noise and traffic of the adjoining street and making this section of Via Sacro Cuore more liveable. The great curved wall on the main facade of the building was inspired from the sailing boats. Its curvatures makes the structure more organic and visually less impactful on the surroundings. Another important aspect is that apart from the ground floor, all other levels are positioned backwards from the street, making the 9000,00 cubic meters volume appear lighter through the creation of a patio that leads the visitors to the entrance. The white coloured building is enriched with wood inserts and touches of green rendering which emphasizes the game of volumes while contribute in the embellishment and visual mitigation. The building is oriented on the East-West axis, resulting in a constant natural lighting of the indoor spaces through the day.