Sensitively Restored Home in Sicily

Italian architecture studio Didea has transformed a vernacular ruin into a contemporary residence that balances local identity and material restraint.

WORDS Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Courtesy of Didea and Airbnb

Embedded within the walls of one of Sicily’s most evocative historic centres, lies Casa Sambuca: a once-dilapidated home, now sensitively restored through the “1 Euro House” initiative to revive historic villages.

Dating back to the early 20th century, the house had fallen into near-total ruin – collapsed floors, no utilities, pervasive damp. And yet, its bones hinted at spatial quality and architectural character worth preserving. Developed in collaboration with Airbnb, Didea sought to restore dignity to the building, respecting its original architectural language while introducing new open-plan interiors that unfold across three compact levels.

One of the most distinctive features of Casa Sambuca is the pair of perforated steel staircases, rendered in striking lobster red and green, that run vertically through the home. These bold pops of colour directly contrast with the warm, muted palette of the interiors and reference the surrounding landscape’s tones – both functional and symbolic. Vaulted ceilings, interconnected rooms, and timber floors have been retained and enhanced, reinforcing the typological character of the original house.

Natural light plays an active role throughout. Filtered through the perforated steel staircases and translucent internal doors, it animates the space throughout the day. Soft, neutral finishes enhance the effect, shaping a warm, measured, deeply Mediterranean atmosphere in tune with the rhythms of the village and its landscape.

Every element of the interior is custom designed – from the staircases to the integrated furnishings – meticulously created to fit both the proportions of the rooms and the everyday functions of a lived-in home.

The decision to restore Casa Sambuca rather than rebuild, and to engage local artisans and resources, has transformed Casa Sambuca into a home that is deliberate and context-aware – a place where contemporary gestures and local identity coexist in balance. | studiodidea.it

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