A Porch in Italy Is Reborn as a Tiny Cabin With Eye-Popping Interiors

In the town of Albino, in the Lombardy region of Northern Italy, an open porch attached to a large modern villa has been converted into a tiny, 25-square-meter (about 269-square-foot) "urban cabin" for a couple of Italian and Persian origin. The project, led by Francesca Perani Enterprise, takes inspiration from Persian design and is a celebration of color and texture that elevates affordable materials, such as oriented strand board (OSB). 

"The design approach is ironic and playful," says Perani. "Since the beginning of my practice, I have always battled against straight-line trends and a minimalist approach."

The clients are both doctors with two children and the main house, designed by architect Armen Manoukian in 1968, is the wife’s childhood home, inherited from her parents. Perani renovated the villa in 2009—her first project as an architect—and was invited to convert the porch a decade later. "With both projects, I wanted to preserve the intrinsic value of the existing building while incorporating new elements in dialogue with the original," says Perani. "I am curious to experiment with materials and composition."

The cabin—which has its own entrance and houses a small living and sleeping area, kitchen, and bathroom—is conceived as a multipurpose space that can be used as a studio, a retreat for the owners, or guest accommodation. "They often have relatives come to visit and so wanted to provide a comfortable and private space," says Perani. "The clients also wanted to be able to use it themselves, as a space to read, listen to music, or relax."

Previously used as a storage area for sports equipment, the porch has been simply enclosed with an earth-colored facade. A folded, perforated-metal screen defines and offers privacy to a triangular garden at the front onto which the shower opens.

"Urban Cabin is a minimal and multifunctional lodge, which summarizes the functionality and stylistic resourcefulness of a living space," says Perani. "With the intent of extending seasonal uses and allowing new ones, the cabin was conceived to give a sense of quiet and intimacy at one with the surrounding nature, as well as to provide privacy from the high-density urban location."

The rear of the former porch functions as a retaining wall to the garden, so the cabin is essentially built into the landscape. A roof garden, which can be accessed by stepping up from the existing garden, extends the home’s outdoor space and helps to reduce solar heat gain to the cabin.

Inside, the space is divided into two parts—a 19-square-meter (205-square-foot) living room and kitchen, and a bathroom. The living space is clad entirely in OSB, which offers a dramatic contrast to the bright blue bathroom. "I have always seen OSB in building sites, and I love its textural irregularity and random organic composure. It gives the space a sense of warm comfort," says Perani. "The living area also has a joyous intrusion of recycled 1960s handles and printed marble gres tiles in the kitchen area."

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The tiny, extremely narrow footprint of the porch meant that the entire interior needed to be custom designed with flexible, multifunctional furniture and storage built in. The storage spaces by the entrance conceal a heating system as well as a desk and space for a washing machine, while the seating at the side of the cabin functions as storage and can be converted into two single beds. 

"I spent most of my early childhood summers in a motorhome with my family," says Perani. "This was a precious reference when designing such a small space. Every part of the interior has multiple uses, and I have deliberately used diagonal lines to make the space feel more dynamic."

In the bathroom, the shower opens out onto the "secret" garden through French doors, connecting guests to the exterior. "The dramatic Persian indigo color was used to reference the tiles used on mosques and palaces in Iran," says Perani. "Every surface has been finished in glossy blue resin, and the bright white fittings stand out clearly from this dark color, creating a dialogue with the 1960s handles used on the cabinets in the living space."

"It was challenging as a more mature architect to introduce a respectful but experimental dialogue with my previous restoration and the existing architecture," says Perani. "The result is a blend of bold, contemporary architecture and Iranian culture that creates a reassuring feeling of intimacy and warmth." 

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Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Francesca Perani – FPEnterprise / @fpenterprise

Interior Design: Ilenia Perlotti

Junior Architect Intern: Ilaria Odoli

Builder: Gherardi Giuseppe

Carpenter: DueMMe

Structural Engineer: Roberto Belotti

Heat Engineer: Progterm

Metal Shadings: Valoti Giovanni

Lighting Design Company: Due Effe Illuminazione

Styling: Chiara Birolini

Decorator: Diego Armellini

Photography: Francesca Perani

Cut-out Illustration on Renders: cutoutmix