A centuries-old olive garden, sweeping vistas of the Adriatic coast, a hectare-and-a-half of land that unfolds unto the horizon—Masseria Belvedere looks as much a part of the landscape as the sky and the sea that ensconce it. And not without reason.
When architects Nicolò Lewanski and Federica Russo—co-founders at London-based architecture firm
In this particular case, the restoration was much more than a restoration. It was an endeavour to turn the jilted property into an appealing and contemporary sanctuary for large families and group retreats—a tall order for something that had been left dilapidated for decades.
When it came to crafting the interior—or even the exterior for that matter—Nicolò and Federica took cues from the original construction. The two-level interior volume was divided into 8 double bedrooms. The ground floor was overhauled to host the ‘day area’—a twin-level realm fashioned into the overarching rock slope—containing the kitchen, dining room and sitting room, as well as the yoga room and games room.
At Masseria Belvedere, the indoors and outdoors, nature and built form, ebb and flow like the sea and the shoreline. Outside, the infinity
“The idea behind Masseria Belvedere was guided by the desire to welcome guests to spaces with infinite possibilities,” say Nicolò and Federica. “Designing for us means creating spaces that did not previously exist, opening up views that were previously obstructed, and revealing places that were previously inaccessible. I think we’ve achieved that with Masseria Belvedere.”
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