Italian architecture firm Studio Bressan has successfully restored and expanded a traditional stone farmhouse in Treviso, Italy, creating a contemporary home called Casolare Biordo Vecchio. The project features a spacious glazed dining room that extends from the building's original portico, seamlessly blending modern architectural elements with historic materials and craftsmanship.
Located among the scenic hills and vineyards of Asolo, the historic stone farm building presented unique challenges for the renovation team. Studio founder Emanuele Bressan explained that the primary goal was "to introduce a contemporary architectural language without compromising the identity of the site." The architects retained as much of the existing structure as possible while completely overhauling the interiors and creating new open spaces.
The most striking feature of the renovation is the transformation of the south-facing portico into a double-height, glazed dining space that opens onto a travertine terrace. This glass extension creates a dramatic contrast with the thick plastered walls and small, deep openings of the original farmhouse. Above the dining area, a balcony connects to the main en-suite bedroom, while additional bedroom and study areas overlook the surrounding gardens through new windows inserted behind the home's original openings and shutters.
A former stable has been converted into an elevated living room, positioned on a raised wooden floor and organized around a suspended fireplace. This change in floor level marks the boundary between the old and new sections of the home. "At the heart of the new composition is the fireplace, which symbolically and physically ties together the old and the new," Bressan noted. "The former stable, now transformed into a living room, and the glazed portico turned dining area both orbit around this element, which serves as the fulcrum of the house."
The architectural approach emphasized what Bressan calls "critical restoration," which allowed for careful introduction of contemporary materials like iron and glass alongside preserved original elements such as stone and wood. The timber ceilings of the extension remain exposed, as does the supporting steel structure, which is painted cream to match the rendered finish of the original home. "This dialogue between old and new resulted in a sober and coherent balance, conveying continuity without giving up on modernity," Bressan explained.
Bressan emphasized that the renovation aimed "to enhance the memory of the building without nostalgia, instead highlighting its truest signs and character." The result is described as "a building that lives in the present while retaining legible traces of the past, restoring dignity to a rural construction and harmonizing with both the understated beauty of the Asolo hills and the everyday life of its inhabitants."
The Casolare Biordo Vecchio project represents a growing trend in Italian architecture, where historic rural buildings are being sensitively adapted for modern living. The success of Studio Bressan's approach demonstrates how contemporary architectural interventions can respect and enhance historic structures while meeting the needs of today's homeowners. The project photography was completed by Emanuele Bressan himself, documenting the seamless integration of old and new architectural elements.
