An abandoned industrial building in Trepuzzi, a small village near Lecce in Italy's Puglia region, has been transformed into a stunning contemporary family residence that seamlessly blends historical architecture with modern design elements. The 1,600-square-foot home, featuring soaring 20-foot star-vaulted ceilings and distinctive Moroccan-style shutters, now houses the new generation of the same family that once operated the space as a woodworking workshop.
Architect Sara Lagna, based in nearby Galatina, was tasked with converting the former factory into a livable space for her clients, who are the grandchildren of a renowned local cabinetmaker who previously used the building as his workshop. The original structure's exact industrial purpose remains unclear - it may have been a grain mill or olive oil press before becoming the craftsman's atelier. The building's most striking features include massive star-vaulted ceilings supported by load-bearing pillars and a single original skylight that now casts poetic light over the dining area during lunch hours.
The most challenging yet transformative decision in the renovation process was demolishing one of the historic star vaults to create an interior courtyard. "We demolished a vault to create an interior courtyard in front of the house, separating the entrance door from that of the dwelling, with really very interesting consequences," explains Lagna. This bold move brought natural light into what had been a dark, windowless industrial space characterized by a succession of typical factory bays. The newly created courtyard provides privacy and tranquility away from street noise while establishing a visual connection with the sky from every room.
A carob tree was planted in the courtyard to create an explicit connection with the surrounding natural environment, while the opening created by the demolished vault ensures visual contact with the azure sky from throughout the home. "Sometimes, in summer, at a precise spot, this opening frames the full moon, which confirms to me that the choice was right," notes the architect. Full-height windows were strategically positioned to never face the street, preserving the intimacy, discretion, and silence of the domestic space.
One of the home's most distinctive features is the incorporation of Moroccan-style perforated wooden shutters, known as "gelosie marocchine," which create unique shadow and light patterns while promoting natural ventilation and maintaining privacy without plunging rooms into darkness. "These are Moorish shutters that can open completely to access the courtyard. I installed them in the ground floor bedrooms," specifies Lagna. The shutters represent a creative fusion of North African design elements with traditional Apulian architecture.
The interior layout centers around a vast living space beneath the imposing star vaults, combining a kitchen with dining area while a central fireplace separates this section from the living room, which features a generous modular green fabric sofa and round rug. "The clients really loved the fireplace, as well as the idea of the old domestic hearth around which the family gathers. They wanted it resolutely modern, in order to create a contrast with the period structure," explains Lagna. The contemporary fireplace, covered with Laminam slabs and featuring a black-painted flue that creates an unusual contrast with the white vaults, serves as both a functional element and room divider.
The kitchen was custom-built by the homeowners themselves, drawing on their inherited woodworking skills from their cabinetmaker grandfather, and redesigned specifically for this dwelling. Oak partitions conceal all appliances and storage, maintaining clean lines throughout the space. Above the main living area, a mezzanine level with warm wooden flooring serves as a dance rehearsal studio for the owners' daughter, deliberately kept minimalist in design.
The private quarters consist of independent bedrooms that open onto the courtyard and are protected by the Moorish-style shutters. Each spouse has their own bathroom with distinct design personalities: his features earthy tones and an original mosaic composed of small recycled metallic tiles from Boxer, while hers creates a more romantic atmosphere with decorative tiles in graduated pink and blue tones. The masculine bathroom includes Gattoni fixtures and Saime coverings, while the feminine space features Bongio fixtures, Aparici coverings, and Vitra sanitaryware, along with a vintage-style chandelier that contrasts with contemporary fixtures.
Material choices throughout the home reflect a commitment to natural elements and regional traditions. The exterior maintains exposed stone walls and white lime-washed surfaces that recall traditional Salento architecture, while the interior emphasizes clarity and softness to modernize the space's aesthetic and dialogue with the owners' contemporary furniture, mixed with antique pieces inherited from the grandfather's workshop. Lagna selected natural materials for the exterior, including Soleto stone paving, and Cotto d'Este stoneware for interior surfaces, with terracotta flooring throughout the main living areas.
The transformation preserves the building's industrial heritage while adapting it for modern family life. The original skylight continues to provide zenith light over the dining table, while the high star vaults accommodate the mezzanine's balustrade and central fireplace. Floor-to-ceiling windows on the ground level bedrooms and a French door leading to the upper mezzanine gallery maximize natural light and connection to the courtyard space.
The project represents a successful example of adaptive reuse, where historical industrial architecture is preserved and repurposed for residential use while honoring both the building's past and the family's craftsman heritage. The home's design creates multiple connections to its environment - from the carob tree that provides a natural focal point to views extending to the village church bell tower visible from the rear courtyard. The integration of Moroccan design elements with traditional Apulian architecture demonstrates how cross-cultural influences can enhance regional building traditions while creating unique living spaces that serve contemporary family needs.
