Holding a mirror up to nature are these twin holiday homes, situated on the doorstep of Europe’s largest Alpine plateau, Alpe di Siusi. Designed by local architect Peter Pichler, the exteriors are an optical masterstroke: UV-coated mirrored glass cloaks the western façades, reflecting the dramatic contours of the Mendel mountains. Inside each house, Pichler has wrought a living room-kitchen, bedroom and bathroom out of just 25 sq m, introducing light and air via skylights. Furniture from Italian company Plank, nut wood screens and a Gervasoni Ghost sofa bed add to the sleek flexibility, while cantilevered terraces and gardens further break the boundary between dwelling and setting. A retreat firmly for outdoor types, in summer trek or bike the grasslands and pine copses of the plateau, while in winter head south-east to the ski slopes of Obereggen.
ADDRESS
Grutzenweg 75
39100 Bolzano
Italy
-
Three new coffee makers for a contemporary brew, from a casual cup to a full-on branded espressoThree new coffee makers, from AeroPress, Jura and Porsche x La Marzocco, range from the defiantly manual to the bells and whistles of a traditional countertop espresso machine
-
Don't miss Luxembourg's retro-futuristic lab pavilion in VeniceAs the Venice Biennale enters its last few weeks, catch 'A Comparative Dialogue Act' at the Luxembourg Pavilion
-
A Berlin park atop an office building offers a new model of urban landscapingA Berlin park and office space by Grüntuch Ernst Architeken offer a symbiotic relationship between urban design and green living materials
-
2,734 metres above the sea, a northern Italian hotel ensures peak happinessDesigned by Senoner Tammerle Architekten, hotel Santnerpass Hütte offers the perfect off-grid retreat amid a Unesco-protected landscape
-
Retreat to Lecce’s reborn Palazzo Zimara, a baroque gem from 1557Architect Raffaele Centonze transforms the 16th-century Palazzo Zimara into an 18-room boutique hotel in the historic city centre
-
Stella D'Italia is a Renaissance haven that tells a story of FlorenceStella D’Italia is the Florentine boutique escape by local hoteliers Matteo Perduca and Betty Soldi to know
-
Experience Cardo Roma, the contemporary Roman holiday you didn’t know you neededCardo Roma, the inaugural property of Cardo Hotels, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s Autograph Collection, caters to those seeking to merge business and pleasure
-
La Pergola, one of Rome’s most coveted reservations, gets a sumptuous renovationJouin Manku re-envisions La Pergola, the acclaimed restaurant atop Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel
-
Surrender to these six swim-perfect outdoor hotel poolsDiscover the best outdoor hotel pools, from Amankila’s aquatic triptych by Ed Tuttle to Nicolas Party’s swimmable artwork at Le Sirenuse
-
Serenity reigns at Porto Ercole’s La Roqqa hotelStudio Palomba Serafini has designed La Roqqa, a new hotel in Italy’s Porto Ercole, with retro nods, Tuscan flair and contemporary luxury
-
New hotel Palazzo Cordusio is a tribute to Milan’s enduring panachePalazzo Cordusio, Gran Meliá’s Milan hotel debut, is set within a neo-classical icon moments from some of the city’s best-known landmarks
