Liguria, the region of northwest Italy perched on the Portofino coast, offers countless picturesque villages and coves to explore. But there’s one particularly captivating stretch near Santa Margherita Ligure, between Portofino’s iconic piazzetta and Rapallo’s picturesque carrugi (the town’s warren of narrow medieval streets). “It’s not a typical seaside resort. Instead, it’s a true hideaway from the world where you can admire the sea and its impressive power,” says Serena Mignatti, the architect who was responsible for the redesign of the Villa Badia. She describes its peninsula-like location as “a place where your heart can heal as you admire the incredible views of the Gulf of Portofino.” Alongside Mignatti, architect Marco Lecchi coordinated construction, and is intimately familiar with the area and its peculiarities. The result of their efforts is a home where the interiors and the grounds coexist perfectly, and the architects’ love for the villa is seen in every detail.
“The property, which is more than 4,300 square feet, overlooks one of the most magical corners of the Ligurian Sea,” Mignatti says. “It is a peaceful setting for a home that celebrates the beauty of living well.” Indeed, Villa Badia bears witness to natural spectacle and decay; the villa was built as a typical bourgeois home, dating back to the 1950s. Accordingly, the homeowners wanted a restoration that would add “a touch of poetry to a house that already had its own well-defined character.”
Mignatti explains how the architects made that happen: “The foremost concern was to create a place for the entire family, to be handed down from generation to generation,” she says. “But we also wanted to design an ideal retreat where they could spend weekends in harmony with the landscape, away from the stresses of the city.” The villa would rise from the site, with its neutral palette and porous surfaces, to be both austere and emotionally evocative. When asked about the existing structure’s strengths, Mignatti doesn’t hesitate: “Its large size and the way it interacts both with the sea and also the hill it sits atop.” The location and the views take precedent, specifically the gardens and the other open spaces on the site. “The view from every window looks like a work of art.”