Theatre House in Turin, Italy by Bodà Architetti

Bodà Architetti renovated this early 20th-century apartment in Turin, for a couple who love reading and the arts, aptly named Theatre House. Beyond the cultural interests of the clients, the high ceilings and lowered beams that characterize the apartment reminded the architects of the theatre. Hence, an inspired concept was born whereby the apartment becomes the theatre, the inhabitants the actors, and the rooms provide the sets.

Bodà Architetti inserted furnishings and architectural elements in different shapes, materials, finishes, and colours throughout the interior. These include a blue semicircular column with a white marble core, an antique pink pleated volume, sage green built-ins, and a canary yellow zigzagged partition. A large semicircular mirror is positioned in a corridor at the perfect angle to reflect the diverse alternation of colours, shapes and tactility throughout. Besides the contemporary insertions, details such as coffered ceilings hint as to the historical providence of the building.

The architects describe the apartment as having “a joyful and stimulating atmosphere halfway between the domestic and the contemplative.”

A balance of materials and colours contribute to creating the dynamic space, changing and shifting according to views and perspective. Besides the pastel-coloured features, the architects kept most other materials natural and minimal, with many other surfaces painted white. Herringbone parquetry floors throughout the main living spaces and herringbone tiles in the kitchen add subtle pattern and textural depth against the monochrome, mostly flat surfaces, as does the corrugated and triangulated detail on certain partitions.