“Imperfect” geometry: Luigi Vietti, Villa La Roccia in Cannobio
The article reviews the thought and work of Luigi Vietti (leading exponent of Italian Rationalism, then author of numerous domestic architectures, especially in Sardinia and on the Alps), through the presentation of one of his most important projects: the Villa La Roccia in Cannobio on the Lago Maggiore, completed in 1936. This project is based on a previous model, the “Villa su Roccia a Sperone”, designed with a promotional target in mind. The latter was published in 1932 on «Domus Magazine » and was exposed in several Rational Architecture events. Between 1930 and 1936 he develops a new concept of architecture in relation to the site by means of topological reasoning. This article uses critical interpretation to highlight that, in Vietti’s work, his interest in emerging architecture (shown by his participation in major founding events in the period between the Two World Wars) and the link to tradition, both contextual and disciplinary, manage to coexist in an often exemplary way. In Villa La Roccia, the character of the architecture as a whole and its details are remodeled to adapt to the rocky spur of Punta d’Amore. This makes the work better merge and blend with the surroundings. Even the interiors are recalibrated in relation to the site and domestic activities, emphasizing the precious definition of details and devoting particular attention to the perceptive-emotional factors of life within it.
