A villa project in Prato, Tuscany, with marble exteriors designed by MUD Architects studio, playing with contrasting materials like stone blocks and iron pillars.

The location, in the countryside with a beautiful view, is situated in the Bisenzio river valley, surrounded by woods, fields, and olive groves. The space is irregular and is arranged on different terraces with stone walls.

The project almost tries to blend in to merge with this landscape. The pool is placed at the highest level, an essential water surface extending towards the garden and landscape, contained by a semi-submerged “frame” of Cardoso marble. A path with the same marble leads to the house structure. The building takes advantage of the existing slope and seems to take the form of an additional stone terrace at the same level as the pool.

The north front, facing the pool, consists of a series of stone blocks, derived from the ancient stone terrace walls, forming a counterpoint to a small adjacent wooded area. The two structures are placed on the sides of the pool and are like light volumes “resting” on the stone blocks formed by a frame of thin iron pillars.

In particular, connected to the pool, there is a small structure with a large glass living room inside, with iron frames overlooking the countryside and the entire valley.