Waterfront sketch of Oneglia's old harbour, Calata Cuneo

The Architect's note

Imperia Oneglia drew us in simply — a well-connected airport, a direct train into one of the most characterful cities on the Ligurian coast. The proximity made it possible, but the place made it inevitable. A real town, with its own people and its own unhurried pace. Unchanged and unselfconscious. That authenticity was the point.

The turning point came after months of negotiations with the local authorities over the rooftop terrace. When the permit finally arrived, the project found its conclusion — 15 m² where the old building opens up and the whole of Oneglia is suddenly yours.

A retreat, a nest, a place to work. Dolce vita is not far. It is, quite literally, here.

Sunset at Santa Chiara Loggia, Porto Maurizio. Some evenings, nowhere else will do!

The view  that made the permit worth fighting for — terracotta rooftops, and the Riviera dei Fiori beyond...