VILLA ANTONIETTA
from Hotel Savoia to a luxury private residence
laglio (co)
2011 - 2017
historic villa _ dependance, park, swimming pool, spa
4,254 sqm plot | 2,157 sqm living space
The present-day Villa Antonietta was designed and built at the end of the 19th century not as a residence, but as a hotel.
Already in the 18th century, and throughout the following century, Lake Como had been a destination for international nobility and the European and overseas intellectual elite who, in their literary works (Shelley, Wordsworth, Stendhal, Ruskin, Wharton) and artistic productions (Turner, Corot), celebrated its beauty.
The rise of the industrial bourgeoisie, the development of transport and communication systems, and the increase in hospitality facilities were decisive in consolidating the myth of the Lario.
The shores of the lake were reshaped by new private summer residences and the gardens surrounding the villas, enriched with vegetation, flowers and exotic species. In the last three decades of the 19th century, milestones were reached that would mark the rise of this landscape — both mountainous and lakeside:
1875 the Milan–Como railway line of the State Railways was completed
1882 the Gotthard Tunnel was completed
1898 the Saronno–Grandate line of the Ferrovie Nord was inaugurated
1890 the Navigazione Lariana expanded its fleet to 14 boats and 1 tugboat
1899 the Italian Hotel Association was founded, promoted by a parliamentarian from Como, holding its first congress in Como the following year
Within this historical context, the Hotel Savoia was established, remaining in operation until the 1930s and later transformed into Villa Antonietta by the Molinari family.
During those same years, the first manuals of hotel architecture defined the aesthetic and functional standards of the sector, recommending a rational organization of space typically structured with a central body for guests and lateral wings for services. The Savoia fully adhered to this model and can be considered a classic example of a hotel designed to meet the needs of a mid-to-high-end clientele.
Its location is set apart from the built center, yet strategically positioned along the via Regina, today within the municipality of Laglio, on the slopes of Mount Colmegnone, framed by tall cedar trees and surrounded on both sides by the typical “composite natural” garden of the time, where grotto passages, gravel paths and stepped systems intersect, leading down to the private dock — the villa’s water access.
When the hotel ceased its activity, the building — converted into a residence — underwent alterations that were often questionable (anodized aluminum window frames, roofing over the dependance, canopies, etc.), and much of the garden was sacrificed for a prefabricated structure used as a boatyard.
At the time when carcanoStucchi studio was commissioned, the property was in a precarious state of conservation, as over the years the building had been only partially inhabited and renovated. The ground floor, second, third and attic levels were essentially unfinished, lacking systems and any type of finishing such as flooring or wall coverings. The only inhabited areas were the first floor of the main villa and the building known as the “dependance”.
The project developed by the studio aims to fully renovate the property, redefining it as a prestigious single villa with ancillary services (guest and staff areas), a park with swimming pool and related amenities, despite its original hospitality function as Hotel Savoia.
In order to propose a typology consistent with the typical villas of Lake Como, the façade’s decorative elements (frames, balcony columns, string courses, etc.) were preserved through careful restoration; the internal layout was maintained, characterized by simple and linear spaces in a classical style; the hipped roof with reclaimed clay tiles was retained; and new wooden window frames were introduced with sliding shutters concealed within the perimeter walls (as per the original detail).
These general interventions aimed to remove the superimposed additions accumulated over time, while allowing for a new additional volume in compliance with the relevant recovery plan regulations. This added volume was entirely developed at ground level, extending the two existing lateral wings while keeping the lakefront façade unchanged (characterized by three large arches and rusticated stonework). This intervention expands the living area, strengthening its relationship with the outdoor spaces.
The internal height of the new spaces was kept identical to that of the existing ground floor, which — although exceeding standard regulations (6.25 m compared to the 2.70 m required by local health regulations for habitable spaces) — gives the extension a strong and significant character, in harmony with the original volumes.
The modifications to the original building, in addition to improving its aesthetic and functional qualities, ultimately aimed to create a structure compliant with current energy efficiency regulations, through the selection of innovative systems and technologies that ensure high performance and functionality.
The designers also developed the landscape project for the entire property, which included the demolition of the boatyard structure and the reorganization of all green areas and vegetation.
The terraced levels overlooking the lake now host a new infinity pool, clad in Moltrasio stone typical of the local context. The new wellness area, including sauna, spa and massage rooms, is also positioned in close connection with the underground spaces and overlooking the garden areas.
The overall intervention carried out by carcanoStucchi studio has given new life to the historic Hotel Savoia building through renewed uses, additional spaces, rich decorative elements and modern amenities — all while respecting the architectural and landscape dignity of a place deeply rooted in memory.
construction site
existing condition
Technical Drawings
Technical Specifications
assignment:
architectural design _ preliminary, final, executive design and construction supervision
swimming pool, spa and external areas _ preliminary, final, executive design and construction supervision
client:
private
contractors:
Impresa Mondelli Battista srl
Almar Elettrotecnica srl
Dotti Idraulica
Culligan
Lario Garden srl
collaborators:
Studio Ing. Dotti
photography:
studio CarcanoStucchi
