ArchShowcase 
Sumit Singhal
Sumit Singhal loves modern architecture. He comes from a family of builders who have built more than 20 projects in the last ten years near Delhi in India. He has recently started writing about the architectural projects that catch his imagination. Casalunga Golf Resort in Castenaso, Italy by Antonioiascone & PartnersMarch 5th, 2020 by Sumit Singhal
Article source: Antonioiascone & Partners The CGR project was developed in response to an assignment entrusted directly to Antonio Iascone by proprietor Gianluca Vacchi, who needed to increase the floor space and extend the range of functions offered by the Castenaso Golf Club, which is sited just beyond the outskirts of Bologna. The brief involved the construction of five new building units, a swimming pool, and an al-fresco bar to complete the existing facilities of the original clubhouse, which was located in a converted farmhouse known as the Casalunga. The buildings provide space for a reception centre, clubhouse, a spacious and functional changing room with golf-bag storage, a fitness centre annexed to an open-air swimming pool and solarium, and an accommodation centre with eight rooms.  Image Courtesy © Roland Halbe
 Clubhouse and outdoor bar, Image Courtesy © Roland Halbe
 La Clubhouse, Image Courtesy © Roland Halbe  General view from the entrance, Image Courtesy © Roland Halbe Landscape aspect The site is located on the border between an agricultural area, with all the classic connotations of the local rural landscape, and an undulating area delimiting the nearby river basin, contoured by the extensive gravel quarrying activities performed over the years. The golf course itself is sited on a reclaimed gravel quarry, and a lake, which forms a key feature of the course, was created by landscaping a disused gravel pit. Apart from the relief aspects of the land, the two types of scenery are also distinguished by a series of natural elements: the lush verdant textures and colours of the farmland, the stone of the quarry, and the flowing waters of the river basin.  At the pool, Image Courtesy © Roland Halbe  The buildings and the avenue, Image Courtesy © Roland Halbe The typical features of the local agricultural land (ditches, irrigation channels, and orderly row plantations) were reflected in the formal layout of a north-south walkway flanked by a row of hornbeams, which functions as the central axis and primary distribution route of the entire project. Expanding on this concept, the architectural volumes are aligned in an orderly manner along the eastern side of the walkway, while they are arranged more freely on the western side, reminiscent of the morphological connotations of the fluvial park. The relationship with the history of the area and the insistence on deferring to its past identity constituted key factors influencing the choice of building materials.  La palestra e gli spogliatoi, Image Courtesy © Roland Halbe  The buildings and the avenue, Image Courtesy © Marcela Grassi Architectural aspect To exploit and simultaneously highlight the naturalistic setting, all the buildings, irrespective of volume or function, were designed to offer ample vistas across the golf course, with the creation of panoramic windows, or, in the case of the clubhouse, fully glazed façades. The desire to integrate the new project with the preservation of the original farmhouse and two cylindrical structures that once served as grain storage silos (and that have become, through time, an emblem of the club) led to the search for a meeting point by extending the cylindrical imagery with a new glazed volume, anticipating on a smaller scale the style adopted for the rest of the project and creating a new space, destined to become the reception centre for the new complex.  The Clubhouse at night, Image Courtesy © Marcela Grassi  The swimming pool illuminated at night, Image Courtesy © Marcela Grassi Continuing to defer to the natural and historic connotations of the site, the maximum height of the new buildings is no greater than that of the farmhouse, with a gradual taper towards the southernmost border of the complex that generates a dynamic effect reminiscent of the rolling contours of the surrounding course. An integral part of the architectural concept was the choice of natural stone as the primary material for the outer surfaces in relation to the history of the site. The contrast between the density and sheer heft of the stone opposed to the ethereal transparency of the glazed areas summarises the dualistic nature of the natural elements of the surroundings.  The swimming pool in the evening, Image Courtesy © Marcela Grassi  The swimming pool illuminated in the evening, Image Courtesy © Marcela Grassi The river pebbles used to clad the building façades are installed in stainless steel cages. The relationship between the texture of the pebbles, with their colours shifting in response to changes in the reflected light and weather conditions, and the metallic brightness of the steel surfaces, gives rise to endless interplays of colour and impressions that vary depending on which material assumes the visually dominant role. The overall effect is that of a strikingly contemporary work, created in full deference to the colours and unique identity of the area, that has successfully managed to blend harmoniously with its surroundings, emphasising their natural beauty and re-interpreting their essential nature.  View of the complex from above, Image Courtesy © Roland Halbe  The reception, Image Courtesy © Roland Halbe Architectural aspect Interior Design The various functions of the buildings (clubhouse and restaurant, changing rooms, fitness centre and guest rooms) made it necessary to develop a coherent design philosophy that is both functional and modern, distinguished by simplicity of line and uniformity of materials and colours. To accomplish the required result many of the fixtures and furniture in each building were made to measure. The floors in the communal areas were created in oak wood with a special acid treatment that has altered the colouring to blend more effectively with the cement grey tiles in the service areas, gym, swimming pool and annexed bar.  Gym and changing rooms, Image Courtesy © Roland Halbe  The swimming pool and bar, Image Courtesy © Roland Halbe The furniture and fixtures in the clubhouse (including the bar countertop) were designed to ensure that this area, which has external views on all four sides and gives onto an ample wooden deck overlooking the golf course, offers the necessary flexibility and comfort to make it an ideal community space for socialisation or the consumption of snacks and beverages. The bar unit, which is designed as an isolated volume located centrally in the floor plan, was studied carefully to ensure the landscape views from all points of the clubhouse would not be screened. The alternation of chairs and large size poufs, all with pale fabric upholstery, creates a uniform and dynamic configuration that can respond with flexibility to changing space utilisation needs.  The sundeck on the swimming pool, Image Courtesy © Marcela Grassi  Interior of the Clubhouse, Image Courtesy © Marcela Grassi The areas devoted to sports activities are fitted out with the very latest equipment, with, in particular, keyed lockers in the golf bag store reflecting a level of service that is at the cutting edge in the sector. The hotel room furnishings are distinguished by their incorporation of fabric upholstery, including wardrobe and cupboard doors, creating an elegant alternation of textures with the pearl grey paint finish of the smooth plaster walls. The lighting, discrete, tasteful, and highly functional, is created using direct and indirect light supplied by flush-mounted wall fixtures and surface-mounted luminaires with striking textile shades. Innovative solutions are also in evidence in the bathroom, with a water-pressure activated shower light. Each room has two private spaces, one on each side, one screened by a trellis frame, and both clad in Banghirai wood, like the communal courtyard that functions as a distribution area leading to the rooms. The twin verandas lend a more spacious feel to the rooms, providing guests with two totally private outdoor spaces. Through time the various different wood colours will tend to become more uniform, emphasising the relationship between interior and exterior elements.  Interior of the Clubhouse-detail, Image Courtesy © Marcela Grassi  Area relax, Image Courtesy © Marcela Grassi Energy aspect The energy study, which was conducted using a dedicated SW application (Ecotect) for the analysis of the buildings’ power consumption and energy performance, confirmed the suitability of the design adopted, which led to energy savings of around 30% when compared to traditional solutions. Specifically, the stonework exterior facings provide optimal solar insulation, aided by low solar transmission glazing which helps keep the interior spaces cool in the summer months. The fully glazed clubhouse building is fitted with roller awnings to provide a sunshield in the summer. The overall effect is further enhanced by row of trees to the east shading the cement agglomerate pedestrian walkways to keep surface temperatures down. The internal patios and verandas of the guest rooms moderate the interaction with the external environment and reduce direct solar radiation. To optimise the energy performance of the buildings in the winter months, low emission glazing was utilised with an excellent heat insulation coefficient, while the walls were protected with insulated cladding.  View of the swimming pool from the gym, Image Courtesy © Roland Halbe  Reception and Clubhouse at night, Image Courtesy © Marcela Grassi Technological / plant engineering aspect The technical plant project was designed around the requirement to minimise energy usage of the buildings, achieving the best possible control and maintenance conditions, and ensuring the maximum levels of comfort for occupants. The foregoing requirements were accomplished by differentiating the technical systems in accordance with the characteristics and functional designation of the interior spaces. With the exception of the accommodation centre and reception area, all the spaces destined to accommodate users were equipped with an underfloor radiant panel heating system. The clubhouse was equipped with an airflow climate control system served by an air handler that delivers warm or cool ambient air to the interior spaces. In the winter months the air handler primarily supplies untreated air, while heating is mainly provided by the underfloor radiant panels; in the summer the system makes use of a chiller to regulate the temperature and moisture contents of the incoming airflow. The air is supplied through slimline linear diffusers to ensure uniform distribution and minimal architectural impact, while the outlet vents generally have a counter-current flow pattern with respect to the natural convention airflow and are sited in the bar area, in positions (under the countertop and in the suspended ceiling) and with flow rates that are specifically designed to avoid draughts and the propagation of airborne dust. CO2 levels are monitored by a series of sensors in order to adapt the ambient air intake volume in compliance with the effective occupancy levels, thereby maximising energy savings.  A patio seen from the bedroom, Image Courtesy © Marcela Grassi  Room overview, Image Courtesy © Marcela Grassi The changing rooms and gym are equipped with independent primary air systems with heat recovery exchangers that are smaller in size and more suitable for the requirements of these spaces. The guest accommodation areas and office-reception area are equipped with fan coils for personalised climate control and enhanced flexibility to accommodate the typical requirements associated with discontinuous occupancy. Supervision and control system Supervision for management, maintenance and adjustment of the heating and air conditioning systems is accomplished by centralised remote control. The microprocessor-based plant controller monitors the status of system components and generates alarms in the event of problems or maintenance requests (filter loading, fan shutdown, humidifier malfunctions, etc.). The supervision system is fully integrated and allows total administration of data from mechanical and control systems, control of the lighting system, and, more generally, all the electrical services. Specifically, in the case of management of the guest accommodation building this system leads to a significant reduction in energy consumption by limiting energy demands to periods in which the rooms are effectively occupied.  Image Courtesy © Antonioiascone & Partners  Image Courtesy © Antonioiascone & Partners  Image Courtesy © Antonioiascone & Partners  Image Courtesy © Antonioiascone & Partners
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Categories: Club House, Fitness center, Golf Course, Hotel, Reception, Resort, space, Swimming Pool |
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