Penthouse in Padua

September 26, 2020

Giuseppe Tortato realised the interior design of a penthouse located in an 18th century building in the historic center of Padua, a few steps from the Eremitani church and the Scrovegni Chapel.


The client is a fifty-year-old entrepreneur from Padua who decided to buy the apartment to have a space, or perhaps better a refuge, which would allow him and his children to joyfully live their home together, being able to dedicate themselves to their interests or leisure but always remaining united. In this project Giuseppe Tortato breaks the mold and surprises with new volumes of glass and greenery, taking advantage of the double heights and unevenness of a "vertical" attic, the result of the union of spaces created at different times and joined in a ragtag way.

The theme was not simple: the penthouse developed on three levels was partially mutilated of its potential charm due to a summary renovation that took place in the eighties. The apartment was made up of a set of potentially interesting rooms, but disjointed from each other. An overview was missing, an emotion was missing. Giuseppe Tortato eliminates superfetations by enhancing the existing wooden structures, bringing light back into the rooms, creating order from chaos with a new "story" that leads from the entrance to the kitchen with a set of volumes and "suspended" platforms that they amplify the potential of double heights and original differences in height.



The goal was to create a refuge of family peace but also a dynamic environment that could welcome guests where by exploiting the different heights it was possible to create special places and spaces all visually linked to each other, centered and overlooking the great hall, the fulcrum of the whole project, conceived almost as the "square" of the house overlooked by special rooms. Natural colors and materials dominate. The black parquet with a saw-cut finish, the sand-colored walls plastered with natural clay.



Everything finally finds its space: green enters the entrance, suddenly a tree rises up to the roof taking light from the new skylight on the roof, and next to it is the piano; the study overlooks the living room like a discreet jewel, a glass case the father's "tree house" set in the original wall, jutting out and suspended towards the piano and the fireplace, which allows the parent to enjoy the their little girls perhaps intent on playing in the room; climbing on a suspended platform you find yourself in the corner of the fireplace, framed by a "passer-by" sofa, placed in the center of the room, facing both the old hearth and the new monolith, on the opposite side, which contains the TV and the technological heart that manages all the systems in the house.




A last large platform contains the dining area, onto which the kitchen opens, separated and at the same time joined to it by a large glass wall: the light of the two rooms penetrates, amplifying the spaces enhanced by the natural wood of the ceiling and the color plasters, inspired by the color of the earth and designed with Matteo Brioni.



On the left, a hidden staircase rises to the attic sleeping area: a small balcony, jutting out onto the double-height space of the living room, "Il terrazzino del te", with glass parapets, which visually connects the upper floor with the "square ”, A place designed for relaxation, to read and listen to music, but also to entertain guests on the occasion of a special event.



The house embraces those who live there and those who host, which surprises and excites, as warm as the earth and the light that always manages to capture.



www.giuseppetortato.it

SHARE THIS

 Contribute

G&G _ Magazine is always looking for the creative talents of stylists, designers, photographers and writers from around the globe.

WRITE US

 Find us on

Latest News

By G&G _ Magazine January 7, 2026
SAOTA introduced Lagoon Villa, an extraordinary architectural residence that seamlessly blends the vibrancy of Abidjan’s cityscape with the serene beauty of the Ébrié Lagoon. With interior design by Claude Missir, the villa epitomises modernist architecture while embracing the natural environment.
By G&G _ Magazine November 25, 2025
With an enviable location for those wishing to explore the city's art and culture, the Avani Museum Quarter Amsterdam Hotel is an ode to balanced and functional design, with its aesthetic curated by Spanish interior design studio El Equipo Creativo .
By G&G _ Magazine November 24, 2025
Visiting Casa Batlló means encountering the genius of Antoni Gaudí in his most imaginative and immersive form, where this modernist masterpiece combines creativity, craftsmanship, and multisensory storytelling.
By G&G _ Magazine November 11, 2025
LEI Interior Design has been recognized with the Best Luxury Apartment Interior Design award for Mina Azizi , Palm Jumeirah, in Dubai, UAE. This impressive honor from Luxury Lifestyle Awards reflects a thoughtful and design-led renovation that redefines what modern beachfront living can look and feel like.
By G&G _ Magazine October 28, 2025
Palmira an d GCA Architects unveil a room concept Praise to the Essential , celebrating the authenticity of materials and the elegance of simplicity. In a moment when travelers value emotional well-being and disconnection, the proposal reflects a new approach to Hotel Design, creating spaces that evoke tranquility, sensory experience and genuine comfort.
By G&G _ Magazine October 6, 2025
From October 22 to 25, 2025, the Ptak Warsaw Expo in Pruszków, Poland, will host the 9th edition of Warsaw Home & Contract , the largest interior design trade fair in C entral and Eastern Europe. This year, the event expands its scope, encompassing seven specialized trade fairs unde r one roof: Lighting, Textiles, Bathroom, Furniture, Kitchen, Build and Contract.
MORE

 Subscribe

Keep up to date with the latest trends!

Receive a dose of inspiration directly into your mailbox!

 Popular Posts

By G&G _ Magazine March 9, 2026
Between February 6 and March 8, Madrid Design Festival 2026 offered an intense program of exhibitions and events across the city. Throughout these days, it was possible to perceive the evolution of the festival, which expanded its program by integrating professional talks and meetings, revealing a strong desire among industry professionals to share the new Spanish approach to design with the world.
By G&G _ Magazine March 6, 2026
In a world where many hotels rely on polished aesthetics and predictable luxury, Piet Hein Eek offers a radically different vision. One of the most influential Dutch designers of the contemporary scene, Eek has built his reputation on redefining design through reuse, craftsmanship and imperfection. At the heart of this ecosystem lies the Hotel Piet Hein Eek - a project that embodies his philosophy and invites guests to experience design not as a static object, but as a living environment.
By G&G _ Magazine February 24, 2026
From 5 February to mid-March 2026, across three emblematic locations in Madrid — Institución Libre de Enseñanza, Plaza de Colón and FORMA — LOEWE Perfumes presents Crafted Garden , an immersive installation conceived for Madrid Design Festival 2026 . The project unfolds as a sensory journey inspired by Renaissance gardens, bringing together nature, fragrance and contemporary craftsmanship in a multi-layered exploration of design and olfactory culture.