Introduction

Mirra House began with a horizon.
The lake, the mountains, and the silence between them — these became the coordinates of design. The client asked for a home that could open entirely to the view while remaining grounded and private.

The result is a house built around balance: between exposure and retreat, solidity and reflection, weight and stillness.

Site and Orientation

The site rests on a gentle slope facing the southern edge of Lake Como. Morning light arrives across the water, while the afternoon sun moves behind the hills. We placed the main volume parallel to the horizon to capture that movement, aligning the structure with light rather than property lines.

The orientation allowed the interior to receive shifting reflections from the lake throughout the day — turning light into a living surface. The building is not simply placed on the landscape; it participates in it.

Spatial Composition

Mirra House is defined by a long linear plan: concrete on one side, glass on the other. The heavy wall anchors the building, while the transparent façade dissolves it. Between the two, spaces alternate between open and enclosed — framing views, filtering sound, and guiding light.

Rooms are not separated by doors but by depth and temperature. The spatial rhythm flows naturally, from solid to void, from dark to light.
This continuity makes the house feel both larger and quieter than its size suggests.

Material and Atmosphere

Materially, the house uses restraint: exposed concrete, oak, glass, and stone. Each chosen for its honesty, each responding to light differently.

The concrete holds the coolness of the morning, while oak softens the interior tone. The reflective surfaces of the glass act as mirrors for the landscape, blending the exterior into the architecture.
Nothing here is decorative — every material performs, every surface breathes.

Living with the View

Inside, the lake is always present, yet never overwhelming. The transparency is moderated by deep overhangs and filtered reflections, so the view becomes dynamic rather than constant.

At night, the glass turns opaque, and the concrete takes over — transforming the open house into a quiet enclosure. The architecture shifts with light, revealing two lives: one in reflection, one in shadow.

Conclusion

Mirra House is not a statement on the landscape but a conversation with it.
It listens to the lake’s rhythm, balances openness with shelter, and translates the simplicity of its setting into calm geometry.

It’s a home that feels both inevitable and invisible — as if it had always been there.

TL;DR

• Mirra House aligns with the horizon to follow the sun’s movement.

• Its composition balances concrete and glass, solidity and openness.

• Materials respond to light, not ornament.

• The house transforms through reflection and shadow.

• Architecture here is not imposed — it’s absorbed by the landscape.