While studying in Venice, I visited a few of Palladio’s villas, in particular the Rotonda, and became enamoured with the central atrium and its sense of civilness. I wondered why the idea of a cubic volume was not incorporated in the ‘casetta canadese.’ Upon my return to Toronto, I was asked to design a ‘casetta’ for a family and made the atrium part of the plan.
The concept of the atrium was to give the owners the ability to stroll freely within the spaces especially during the long winter seasons. The verticality of the space was defined by eight square metal columns offset from all four corners. (Unlike the table that I designed a few years earlier). The atrium is paved in pink marble. The edges of the three shallow steps that connect the entrance to the atrium comprised of white marble to alert to their presence. This detail was intended to be a tribute to one of Venice’s not-so-well known saying: “Pietra bianca culo nero”(“White stone, black ass“).
The steps of the Venetian bridges have been completely smoothed out by the many who walked on them since time immemorial. When the steps are wet either when it rains, or when the fog rises or the acqua alta inundates indiscriminately the city, they become slippery and the chances of slipping multiply immensely resulting in aches and pains.
To warn of this ‘danger,’ a strip of white stone was placed at the edges of each step to remind the adage: “Pietra bianca culo nero.” The internal open stair is made of oak. One side is supported by the wall of the kitchen, whereas the other side is supported by metal rods that hang from the spandrel above, being both structural and functional.
I envisioned the exterior walls in the distinctive brick used by Ron Thom in his Massey College, hence the ‘Clay House.’
