studio elisa.

1. Book a house scouting tour with a local architect: Assessing the Dream Home Potential

Kristin, a Swedish professional, had been planning to relocate to Sicily for a while. Every time she would come back to the island, there would be quite a few appointments to visit properties for sale. This was exciting: Kristin loved driving through the Sicilian landscape and discovering new places.
When trying to get the whole picture about a new property though, not being able to put into context relevant information, plus language barriers, would overly complicate her decision making process.

That is when I met her, on a house scouting tour, as an independent architectural consultant and translator.

Instant Insights

During the house hunting session we found out that we had a few things in common: a similar “nordic” background (in my case, because of studies and time spent in Finland), and the decision of relocating from northern Europe to Sicily.

Kristin was very interested in my own house renovation story, followed by the experience of living in Scicli for two years now. How safe would it feel for a woman living on her own? How enjoyable, coming from a city with a very different cultural background?

Besides comparing experiences, having an architect on the spot while visiting a property provided her with instant insights about structural conditions, projected expenses and renovation possibilities.

When we parted ways, Kristin told me that, of all the house scouting trips she went on, this one was her most enjoyable by far. I loved the homes we visited – there is always something that picks your imagination: an old oven on the terrace; a princess-like, cross-vaulted dressing room, a well hidden garden; or simply a little home opening onto a quiet “vanedda”, a narrow street that easily becomes an extension of the house for convivial moments with the neighbors.

2. Have a chat with your prospect neighbors: Early Troubleshooting

An architect on a quest to find her happy place in Scicli, Iris recently visited a property that seemed to tick all the boxes. It was intriguing, great location, and in need of a few renovation works, which would provide her with ample monouvreing space to express herself.

Yet there seemed to be a few issues which could not be clearly identified. I suggested she turned to the local “sages” for advice. Seniors here have the healthy habit of meeting outside, in the shade of a carrob tree, to sit and chat. Iris went to them, and politely asked about the neighborhood. They were happy to help a lady wanting to join the community, and provided Iris with the general information she needed to balance out her feelings about the house, and plan her next steps.

Convivial spaces for humans and birds

Now that issues about the property were being solved one by one before the purchase, there was some time left for dreaming and designing a pleasant life inside the new home. The house layout reminds me of the projects we used to work on back in Malta (I had been living there for few years before Finland), where secluded corners within tall walls would become vertical gardens and peaceful convivial spaces.

Because of the traditional building techniques and the many layers of family history in them, old masonry houses in Scicli often benefit of a renovation approach based on subtraction: cleaning the stonework, taking off what is not strictly necessary, and letting in as much air and light as possible.

On the other end, the historical center of Scicli, all cast in beautiful limestone, has become thirsty for green pockets as global warming undermines the wellbeing of humans, birds and bees.

With Iris, we took into account these two starting points for her retrofitting project. Right now we are imagining a luscious “bbrèvula” (pergola) and stone latticework to help modulate air and light through the seasons. The house doesn’t ask for much more. A bench on a panoramic spot, a terrace and the veranda between the kitchen and the living room are already there, waiting to be tied together into one quiet, pleasant space for painting, designing and having friends over for dinner.

3. Make a Renovation Checklist with a professional: Money & Time Saver

After completing a remote-led renovation of an apartment & bnb in Palermo, I received a call from my client’s friend, asking for advice about a property she was interested in.

Nicole, a tourist guide, had always been calling Palermo her home. Yet she found the process of purchasing a property in her home town a stressful one. She wanted to make sure the apartment would be a good investment, and that renovation expenses would be kept within her budget.

I listened to Nicole, to understand her expectations around the new home. There was a need for a slower life, with less working hours and more free time, which the apartment would address by turning part of it into a BnB. The apartment she set her mind on was almost impossible to divide into separate quarters though.

Hence I recommended the following:

1) Have a chat with the neighbors, especially those who had renovation works done recently;
2) Ask a local construction firm to send a representative for a site visit, and provide a rough estimate of structural, electrical and plumbing works needed.

Design for easy living

3) Then I suggested a design strategy to simplify the renovation process and achieve her objectives regarding the apartment layout.
As Palermo gets a lot more tourists in the summer, when Nicole would rather spend her time at her beach house, one could think of remodeling in view of summer only rentals, with furniture designed specifically to accomodate the need of switching from home to bnb, and back.

This would entail a different way of living around the apartment, one that would suit well Nicole’s dream of a simpler life.

By having around fewer pieces of furniture, designed to put one’s belongings quickly away, Nicole’s new home could help her both create a calmer environment and provide an extra income, making room for guests without stressing too much about moving your personal things away.

You can ask an architect to accompany you during any phase of your home project. The “dreaming a new life” phase. The house hunting. The early troubleshooting and assessment. Sometimes you will benefit from reciprocal affinities, sometimes a different vantage point will help.

Listening, observing, dreaming before building will always be time well spent in creating solid foundations for a happier home.