Italian architecture studio MoDus Architects has completed Hometown House, a distinctive residence in Trento designed for a client returning to his childhood community after decades abroad. The home occupies the exact location where the client's parents' house once stood, positioned beside his brother's residence within the scenic Non Valley's rolling hills and orchards. Completed in early 2026, the project demonstrates how contemporary design can honor personal history while embracing modern living. The building's V-shaped plan creates a dynamic relationship between interior spaces and the surrounding landscape, serving as an active mediator between the immediate residential fabric and the broader countryside.
The material palette centers on two primary elements chosen by the client: larch wood and local porphyry stone. The exterior features black-stained larch cladding that gives the upper levels a striking, monolithic appearance, while the interior showcases lighter natural larch that creates warm, airy living spaces. According to the architects, these materials were selected not as decorative finishes but as fundamental architectural matter. The juxtaposition of wood and stone establishes a dialogue between refinement and ruggedness that mirrors the dual character of the rural site itself. The home sits on a base of porphyry stone that extends upward to frame the main entrance with chamfered edges.
The V-shaped floor plan elegantly solves the challenge of accommodating both large family gatherings and daily life for two residents. On the ground floor, the eastern wing contains a large, slightly sunken living room with full-height windows overlooking the landscape, while the southern wing houses the kitchen and dining area that opens onto an external patio. This split creates two distinct spatial sequences and modes of inhabitation. Smaller windows on the outer edges of the V-shape frame views of neighboring residential buildings, while the inner walls open dramatically to the valley. A timber door with an angular push plate resembling the home's floor plan marks the entrance, referencing a recurring motif in the firm's residential projects.
The upper level contains four bedrooms, three with ensuite bathrooms, organized around a central study area beneath sloping timber-clad ceilings. Square skylights puncture these ceilings, bringing natural light deep into the plan and creating dynamic patterns throughout the day. The partially sunken stone base contains an independent apartment that can accommodate guests or serve as a separate rental unit. This lower level also includes a garage, laundry facilities, and an exposed concrete wine cellar that maintains proper storage conditions. A traditional stube—a wood-paneled living space typical of Alpine homes—provides a cozy gathering spot with regional character.
MoDus Architects, founded in 2000 by Sandy Attia and Matteo Scagnol in the northern Italian town of Brixen, has developed a reputation for design that responds carefully to its surroundings in the South Tyrol region. Their portfolio includes a kindergarten in Terlano with a distinctive green plastered facade featuring a tartan pattern, and a sports center in Laghetti marked by a tapering tower. For Hometown House, photographer Simone Bossi captured the interplay of light and materiality that defines the project. The firm's approach emphasizes how architecture can connect immediate residential settings with broader landscape contexts.
Hometown House exemplifies how contemporary residential design can balance personal narrative with architectural innovation. By positioning the home as a mediator between its residential setting and the expansive valley beyond, MoDus Architects created a dwelling that feels both grounded and open. The project demonstrates the enduring appeal of natural materials when used with conceptual clarity and craftsmanship. As more people seek to return to their hometowns with new perspectives, this house offers a model for building respectfully within established communities. The careful calibration of public and private spaces, combined with the tactile richness of wood and stone, ensures the home will serve multiple generations of the family while contributing positively to its context.
