“The Tuscan Oak surface is both a hero and complementary to his beautiful collection of art, collector furniture and pared back aesthetic.”
Drawing on his own European heritage, BE Architecture’s Design Director has dug deep in the design and architectural expression with strong links to Spanish and Italian domestic courtyard houses. The home is inward looking and planned around a series of internal patios and courtyards, entered in a surprisingly modest way, and opening to reveal a series of spaces which play on light and materiality. Aligning with these European references, and minimalist approach, the architecture is based on a minimal palette of just 3 key materials, timber, limestone, and masonry thereby drawing attention to the application, proportion, and articulation. Elton Group’s Evenex Sincro – Tuscan Oak has been used masterfully as the primary material for walls, doors, and joinery, creating a warm and holistic space.
Andrew confesses to labouring over each detail, with hand sketches, cameos, and conversations over every decision. He approached the timber-look surface as he would a natural timber, and the results make it almost impossible to tell this is not a timber veneer. Considered, confident and pushing the boundaries of the material, his skilled detailing elevates the material, with ‘solid’ edging cut from the panels, inlays, shadow lines, clever corner junctions and the rotation of the grain direction to deal with limitations of panel lengths and ceiling heights.
As the core joinery material, Evenex Sincro was the natural choice and perfect material surface solution, being budget friendly, easy for the joiner to use, consistent in colour and pattern and UV stable. From an aesthetic perspective, pre-sealed and with a beautiful grain, it brings warmth and texture to contrast with the stone and create an ambience of rational, balanced calm. Andrew worked closely with the builder and joiner, the latter working on site for 3 months bringing to life Andrew’s vision room by room. The timber surfaces are further supplemented by curated elements of art and furniture, collected over time, and the ambience is one of a family home which has been there for years, solid, homely, comfortable.
Andrew has worked with Elton Group for many years. A chance meeting at an industry event affording us the chance to speak with Andrew in depth, visit his home and, in collaboration with The Local Project, create a video enabling him to share his inspiration and journey. Andrew is a natural speaker, proud and humble at the same time. His home perfectly reflects this, designed to be both modest in size and expression and generous in materiality, proportion and comfort, it is family and living friendly. In addition to the material selection, the mastery of the design is in the teasing glimpses of spaces beyond and the capture and play of natural light and the changing aspects brought by its journey through the house throughout the course of the day. The tone of the timber-look surfaces changes with the play of light from moody and evocative to bright and warm.
To open the front door is to enter another world and stepping through it is a planned and curated experience, however, without a doubt, the kitchen and dining room are his favourite spaces.
“The heart of the home is flooded with Tuscan Oak, all walls, joinery, and doors, fully enveloped in this warm comforting feeling. That’s what the house is all about.”—Andrew Piva
The Casa Piva House is featured in The Local Project Issue #14, March 2024.