In the shadow of Mount Monviso, nestled in the Piedmont region of northern Italy, an “anonymous” relic of the 1960s has been transformed into a vibrant vessel of contemporary family life. Rome-based studio Errante Architetture has completed the renovation and extension of Casa BM, a project that rejects the total erasure of the mid-century past in favor of a sophisticated “restructuring.” By stripping an unremarkable house of its banality and introducing a single-storey annexe, architects Sarah Becchio and Paolo Borghino have created a 450-square-metre residence that balances technical precision with a hand-built soul. As “Magazine World” explores, this project is a celebration of the “imperfectly rational”—a home where rigorous geometry meets the tactile warmth of raw materials and the DIY spirit of its owners.
Bridging Decades with Material Continuity
The primary challenge of Casa BM was to unify the existing two-storey structure with a new, single-storey volume without creating a jarring architectural disconnect. Errante Architetture achieved this through a shared material palette and a consistent roofline. Both the original house and the new extension are topped with matching timber-framed gable roofs, a choice that mirrors the traditional vernacular of the Italian Alps while maintaining a modern, minimalist profile. The new roof on the main house is supported by an unusually shaped ridge beam, a custom detail that serves as a sculptural centerpiece within the upper levels.
Materiality is used throughout the house as a language of honesty and durability. The architects opted to leave many structural elements exposed, creating a dialogue between the cool, cast concrete and the warm tones of structural timber. This “exposed” philosophy extends to the blockwork and the custom-designed red steel elements—such as staircases, balustrades, and even a kitchen extractor—that act as a vibrant thread through the interior. By sourcing high-quality materials at a low cost and utilizing standard semi-finished components, the architects have proven that “anonymous” structures can be revitalized without the need for extravagant budgets.
Geometric Play: Curves and Diagonals
While the exterior volumes of Casa BM appear to follow a strict orthogonal logic, the interior is defined by a surprising sequence of curved and diagonal lines. As one enters the home, the floor plan opens into a series of interconnected spaces that guide movement in a fluid, non-linear fashion. A curving concrete wall forms the eastern edge of the annexe, acting as a soft boundary that draws the eye toward the surrounding garden. These geometric shifts are intended to amplify the sense of continuity between the interior and exterior, ensuring that every room feels connected to the Piedmont landscape.
The internal reconfiguration is equally strategic. The ground floor of the original house now hosts an expansive open-plan kitchen and dining area, while the new annexe contains the more contemplative living room and study. Bedrooms are tucked away on the upper floor, benefiting from the light-filled loft spaces created by the new roof. Throughout the home, Errante Architetture has integrated bespoke furniture into the very fabric of the architecture—niche desks, built-in shelving, and window benches are carved into the walls, maximizing every square meter of the 450-square-metre footprint.
A Philosophy of Self-Building and Local Sourcing
One of the most remarkable aspects of Casa BM is its construction process. Becchio and Borghino designed the project with “self-building” in mind, allowing the owners to directly participate in the construction. This collaborative approach influenced the technical choices of the building, ensuring that many elements could be executed by local, non-specialized contractors or the clients themselves. This direct involvement has imbued the house with a sense of personal history and pride, moving the project away from the sterility of traditional “turnkey” developments.
The architects define their approach as a search for “salvaged beauty.” By reusing materials and focusing on feasibility, they have created a home that is both architecturally sophisticated and deeply practical. This philosophy of “making” is evident in the custom sculptural gutters, downpipes, and corrugated metal awnings—details that might be overlooked in a standard renovation but are celebrated here as essential components of the building’s character. Casa BM is a reminder that the most successful renovations are those that find the hidden potential in the ordinary.
Living with the Monviso Horizon
Ultimately, Casa BM is a home designed for a specific family in a specific place. The southern facade features a unique “back-to-front L-shape” arrangement of windows that captures the changing light of the northern Italian seasons and provides framing views of the distant Mount Monviso. Whether viewed as a geometric experiment or a practical family haven, the project stands as a testament to the power of thoughtful restructuring. It proves that the “anonymous” 1960s suburban stock that populates much of the Italian countryside can be reinvented as a source of architectural inspiration.
As Errante Architetture continues to explore the boundaries of reuse and local craftsmanship, Casa BM serves as a beacon for the potential of mid-century renovation. It is a house that is “unrecognisable” from its previous incarnation, yet it remains tethered to its foundations. In the quiet fields of Piedmont, Sarah Becchio and Paolo Borghino have demonstrated that by injecting new life into the anonymous, we can create spaces that are truly and undeniably extraordinary.
