Casa Totem in Rome - Interni Magazine

To act as a pivot for the organization of the 65 square meters of a pied-à-terre intended for hospitality in Trastevere, a sculptural and excavated, articulated and multifunctional volume

A place dedicated to hospitality where you can feel at home and at the same time perceive the experience of the travel. An apartment that shows a creative and vibrant Rome, far from clichés, but with a - layered look - to the glorious past of the city and to forgotten crafts.

Designed by studiotamat, Casa Totem (Totem House), extended on only 65 sqm on the first floor of a period building, it is hidden among the alleys of one of the best known Capitoline districts, Trastevere. Entirely redesigned, the contemporary and dynamic apartment that can accommodate up to four people develops into an entrance hall, a living room, a kitchenette, two bedrooms and a bathroom, all rooms set up with flexible furnishings designed ad hoc by the Roman studio. Stylistic, functional and distributive figure of the project a 'totem', in fact, a sculptural and excavated volume, articulated and multifunctional, which screens and optimizes spaces and activities.

Layering, imperfections and a casual use of color

The house, originally covered with seventies wallpaper, was literally stripped, exposing a layering of original colors and glazes of the time. The architects directed the color choices of the new furniture systems so that they were in line with the pre-existing plasters, while maintaining the imperfections of time. The casual use of color distinguishes the whole pied-à-terre, which alternates warm and cold shades to enhance the additions without prevailing over the original colors.

The pivot of the distribution of spaces and activities is a ‘totem’

The pivot for the reorganization of the spaces in the center of the apartment, dictating a completely new distributive and compositional order, is an ice-colored 'totem', a multifunctional volume, sculptural and at the same time light, that rises from the ground up to the ceiling: a sort of scenographic backdrop equipped that conceals one of the bedrooms and a passageway illuminated by a full-height glass door that houses a kitchenette, made to measure, embedded a the back.

A volume that shields and packs functionality

Hollowed out and articulated in an apparently casual way, the volume of the totem not only shields the living room from the bedroom, but also encloses internally functionality on all sides, such as wardrobes, lights, a refrigerator, a wine cellar and a bookcase. An imposing horizontal top in black lacquered wood is set on it, which projects towards the walls of the room, designed as a seat for the dining table or as a chaise-longue.