In the southern Italian Alps opened a new mid-century modern hotel, Il Sereno Lago does Como, a sister property to the Christian Liaigre-designed Le Sereno Saint-Barthélemy in the Caribbean. The new property was designed by the cultured hand of Spanish architect Patricia Urquiola that was involved in every detail.

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IMAGE SOURCE: WALLPAPER

IMAGE SOURCE: WALLPAPER

Inspired by the modernist Casa del Fascio, designed by Italian architect Giuseppe Terragni, Patricia gives a clean architecture to the hotel, creating a series of loggias covered by a flat garden roof. “What guests see from the view – the water, stone, greenery or boats – is reflected in the interiors of the hotel” says Urquiola. “I have tried to integrate the identity of the place in a contemporary way.”

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Those characteristics are evident in the use of local stone Ceppo di Gré and Pietra di Fossena, in the walnut used for rough-cut wall panels, and in the subtle palette of earthy grays and browns, accented with a few greens. Linking the indoor with the outdoor, the architect used architectural elements such as the black steel balustrade mesh, which is repeated in the interiors and in the silicone-jointed decking of the hotel’s three Riva boats, made at the brand’s boatyard on the neighboring Lake Iseo.

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Into the interior design, we can find some pieces from Urquiola’s own portfolio of designs for Italian brands such as Cassina, Kettal, Molteni, B&B Italia and Moroso. “I am very proud to be using them” says Urquiola. All the door handles were specially selected for the hotel by Olivari, the taps by Axor Hansgrohe, the lighting by Flos and the ‘Lariana’ bathtub by Agape.

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The entrance door is 20ft-talls and is connected to the gardens planted by vertical garden inventor Patrick Blanc, who has also installed three works of art featuring thousands of plants. The guests also can enjoy of a Ristorante Berton Al Lagodown on the lake-level, and the 18m infinity pool, which, set along part of the resort’s 140m shoreline, drops directly into the lake and is complemented by a private beach.

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The restaurant is reached by descending a staircase of ‘floating’ walnut treads surrounded by a forest of copper-bronze metal rods. Milanese Michelin-starred chef Andrea Berton prepares a menu that offers rich local Lombardian produce along with wines from the Valtellina valley.

“Guests should feel everything is in its place and there is nothing more than necessary”, “there is no “wow” effect”, says Urquiola, who instead points to a more subtle emotional response. Nothing was left to chance: the architect has even thought to design scarves, woven from locally spun silk, for the staff uniforms.

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