A Home That Dramatically Replicates a Starry Sky in Its Living Room
Given a fantastic site bordering the Hyblaean Mountains of Southern Sicily, Italian architect Fabrizio Foti imagined this villa, titled Casa M_P, as a bold landmark within a bucolic landscape that stays true to its regional heritage.
Composed of three "bodies" arranged to make a central courtyard, Casa M_P is an adaptation of the region's traditional villa architecture. The first body, the entrance, contains the kitchen and garage. The second body, the axis of the plan, contains the living room, gallery, library, and study areas. The third body contains the bedrooms and bathroom. As striking as the dwelling’s expansive white-gray planes is the arrangement of plexiglass tubing perforating the facade: it creates the illusion of a starry sky when viewed at night. This "reverse" lighting scheme—funneling sunlight into the interior during the day and projecting interior lamplight onto the patio at night—creates a dazzling lighting scheme year round.
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