The LIVE intervention, for a new residential complex, was built in the urban context of the EUR district in Rome, originally characterised by low-density urbanisation, a strong naturalistic layout and a second level of visual relationships “at altitude” given by the presence of significant emergences.

The building, built using a ‘demolition and reconstruction’ procedure and changing its intended use, has 7 floors above ground, with 12 flats including three-room, four-room and penthouse flats. The building is positioned just off the street front and is predominantly east/west facing, thus giving ground floor flats large gardens, and offering each flat a double facing view from the living area. Large balconies with loggias and large windows help to create fluidity between the inside and the outside.

The project was designed according to the core principles of Active House: environmental sustainability, energy efficiency and living comfort. Specifically, the construction system ensures strong thermal inertia, a reduced speed air flow that regulates internal temperatures, a photovoltaic system on the roof that limits emissions into the atmosphere, and a domotic system that automatically regulates the internal temperature and controls the external curtains and sunblades.

The façade of the building has been cladded with seamless ceramics, an ecological and innovative material that nevertheless gives the surface a plastic value, ‘reacts’ with light and is in keeping with tradition and context.