Designed in the 1950s by surveyor Enrico Schiavina, the Residenza ai Pini, nestled in the green hills of Bologna, has been equipped with a Vimar By-me Plus home automation system by Tecno Elettra di Bergamini e Fantuzzi, allowing for complete management of the property – from lighting and roller shutter automation to climate control and energy consumption monitoring – guaranteeing operational reliability even in the event of network irregularities, while promoting a more efficient, conscious use of energy, which can also be managed remotely via the View App.
This system integrates with the security system, which combines By-alarm Plus burglar alarm system and Elvox CCTV video surveillance, complete with Bullet cameras to monitor the outdoor terraces and the roof garden.
Architect Martina Gaiba (of Studio MpiùG) merged two overlapping apartments, redesigning a penthouse that stands in direct dialogue with her family heritage and the original work of her grandfather, Enrico Schiavina.
The project strengthens the indoor-outdoor connection inherent to the original architecture while reorganising the internal layout. Eliminating the corridor expands the living area and makes it more fluid, while subtle changes in level and precise spatial solutions introduce greater architectural articulation, guiding the journey through the home.
Within this system, the fireplace, positioned at the heart of the layout, emerges as both the visual and symbolic focal point of the residence. Consistently, the technical installations are integrated with utmost discretion: false ceilings and wood panelling create ‘recessed features’ designed to house the technical components without compromising room heights, thereby enriching the overall interior design.
The overarching supervision of these systems converges into the touch screens: central control points featuring a simple, user-friendly layout designed to make the day-to-day management of the living spaces completely effortless.
To complete the project, the home automation technology is integrated with the elegant Eikon Exé wiring series, featuring Vintage controls in brushed dark bronze. This choice evokes the past through details like the toggle switches, which bring back a tactile sensation and sonic quality with a refined retro character. The bronze, which is also echoed in the fireplace cladding, becomes an element of material continuity, helping to unify and harmonise the entire design.
Consequently, the overall palette privileges natural materials that are faithful to the building’s era – such as thermo-treated oak, lime plasters, and marbles – establishing a calibrated balance between heritage and the contemporary, while the home’s atmosphere draws inspiration from an early 20th Century Secessionist painting, from which its colour tones and luminous nuances are derived.