ca dei mongi
Location
Owner
Produced by
BRENZONE
ALV UND DANIELA
KINDOFSPACE
Daniela and Alv were looking for a place near Lake Garda where they could park their restored Airstream and spend more time close to the water. Instead, they found two old stone houses surrounded by olive trees on the slopes above Brenzone. They were overwhelmed by the place almost immediately. Rather than spending months calculating every detail, they followed the feeling they had when they first stood there and decided to buy it.
As designers, Daniela and Alv developed the renovation themselves. Their approach is deeply influenced by Wabi Sabi, the Japanese idea of finding beauty in simplicity, imperfection and the traces that time leaves behind. Old wood, stone, concrete and steel were chosen precisely because they are allowed to change, age and develop character. The aim was never to make the old buildings feel new again, but to give them another life without erasing what was already there.
The architecture feels quiet and reduced, but never empty. Natural materials, open fireplaces, long views across the lake and spaces that move easily between inside and outside create a house that asks very little from you. Around it, 120 olive trees, a pool, a sauna, an amphitheatre and a panoramic yoga platform become part of the same landscape. The philosophy of the house is less about filling time and more about noticing it again.
Arriving at Ca’ dei Mongi is not quite like arriving at a hotel. From the lake, the road winds upwards above Brenzone until the final stretch becomes so steep that a four wheel drive is needed. On the first arrival, Daniela and Alv bring guests up themselves and introduce them to the old Land Rover that stays with them for the duration of their visit.
portrait coming soon
