Ristrutturazione casa liberty a merano | Christian Kapeller

The Art of Silence: A Merano retreat between the bustle of the street and a garden idyll
Anyone driving along the busy thoroughfare in Merano would never guess what secret lies behind the understated Art Nouveau façade. The small, once dilapidated building appears like a faithful guardian of its era – self-contained, restored in accordance with all the rules of heritage conservation, almost as if it wanted to let the hustle and bustle of the outside world roll off its stone skin. Yet behind the carefully restored double-glazed windows, a transformation begins that masterfully celebrates the contrast between urban dynamism and private contemplation.

The façade as a stone filter
Facing the street, the house appears introverted. Here, permanence reigns supreme. The historic shell acts as a protective shield, keeping out the noise and hustle of the city. It is a conscious choice for discretion, a tribute to Merano’s established cityscape that does not supplant the old, but honours it.

The liberating shift inwards
As soon as one crosses the threshold, the architecture breaks with the heaviness of the existing structure. The ‘house-within-a-house’ concept, crafted from light-coloured timber, unfolds with an unexpected lightness. Whilst the street-facing side offers protection, the garden side opens up with a radical gesture: extensive glazing dissolves the boundary between inside and outside.

The living space becomes a light-catcher. Through an imposing open-plan space with a gallery, the house literally breathes a sigh of relief. The large-scale

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