From ruin to dream house
The first sprouts for a dream house in Italy were sown at a professional event where a colleague talked about the house in Piedmonte she had just finished. In spring 2018 we took the first trip to Piedmont to look for properties/ruins. At our second trip we saw the site in Cimaferle and had no doubt – this was just what we were looking for. We fell for the view, atmosphere and quietness that hits you, when you get out of the car. In July 2018 we signed the contract and were now the happy owners of a ruin and 53.000m2 of land.
During the autumn 2018 and spring 2019 we made the first drawings with Laura Grasso, our Italian architect. A long process went on, with many alterations, until we had the final result. This was sent to the Municipality and Regional office.
We wished to build a traditional stone house, with a kitchen-dining room as the center of the house, and with room for friends and family.
Applying for a building permit in Italy should prove to be a lengthy and laborious process. It took almost 3/4 years to get the last stamp, as the site is in a Natura 2000 area, and the building permit needed a stamp from the regional office in Turin. In May 2020, we finally got the long-awaited permit, and construction could begin. As with so many other things, COVID delayed construction, so the house was not completed until the end of 2021. However, it was worth the wait, and we have certainly become more patient.
The construction of the new house commenced in June 2020. The placement on the plot is nearly the same as the original house, but to secure the foundation, the house was pulled back a bit. The location of the infinity pool was already given. It is located on a slope and is secured with plenty of foundation piles. We followed the construction process from Denmark week by week, with photos sent by the constructor, and on holidays and weekend trips in Piedmont as often as possible. It was great every time we came to Cimaferle to see the progress and how the house took shape.
