Olive Grove House

Built in 2004, completed in 2007. The owner is a woman. She is an architect—a very strong, curious, and unstoppable woman. Last but not least, she is a mother of two and a grandmother of five.

The house itself reflects its owner’s big and independent spirit, seeking peace and nature. It spans 580 square metres in total, of which 385 square metres are available for rent. Nestled in the countryside, it was designed to preserve the spirit of the place, respect local traditions, and embrace modernity.
The building has been thoughtfully situated in a hilly, completely untouched rural setting, filled with marvellous fifty-year-old olive trees, in Abruzzo, just 10 minutes from the city of Pescara (and Abruzzo Airport).

The architect’s philosophy was very clear: to build her house as if it were part of the existing natural landscape—a gentle addition rather than a presumptuous one.
This was an unusual approach for an architectural project at the time, as almost everyone else sought to be radically innovative. Her strong desire to preserve nature and to avoid cutting down or moving any of the olive trees already on the site led to a design consisting of three white, traditional-looking masonry buildings, connected to one another by a modern central structure made of glass. In front of this central structure is a patio made of iron and solid wood. Above is a terrace with a rooftop garden.

Another defining feature is the integration of the buildings into the natural contours of the land, thereby allowing access from different elevations. In fact, today it appears as though the buildings have been “lowered” from above, nestled among the olive trees, without disrupting the existing balance and transforming these areas into new living spaces.

Traditional materials were used in the construction, with the various buildings featuring solid wood structures incorporating a traditional truss and a floor with structural beams. This structure creates a pleasing sequence of beams that extends to the exterior portico.

The architectural studio and the house were designed as a single entity. The studio is located on the top floor of the house. The final addition to the project was a panoramic swimming pool, completed in 2025. Shared by both villas and seamlessly integrated into the natural landscape, it is surrounded by spacious sun terraces and framed by centuries-old olive groves and rolling hills, creating a peaceful retreat where guests can fully unwind.