Rossa
The bold, red-tiled pool, the local sandstone walls and the interplay of shapes and materials all build on the rich creative heritage of Sicily
Rossa is an incredible, in Spring 2023 completed, single-storey villa for four with breathtaking views of the delightful baroque town of Noto.
Built in natural materials by talented local craftspeople using traditional methods, the villa itself is thoroughly modern. Its amorphous form, interplay of soft shapes and the red pool which gives it its name, are matched by a spacious comfort found both inside and out.
The front of the villa faces west, giving spectacular sunset views of Noto, while the bedrooms face east. The careful design and organic forms found within the structure of the building as well as in the careful edit of interior pieces are worthy of an art gallery, except they are conceived with comfort and practicality in mind.
The main living space is full of natural light. A joyful play of shapes is found in the roundness of the ceiling-hung fire, the dining table and the floor rugs, the curve of the wall and of the Edra sofa, and in the clear glass bubble pendant lights. A well-equipped kitchen leads onto the terrace and to a plancha grill and the outside dining table. Bedrooms, meanwhile, are designed to be cool and dark in the heat of summer and cosy in the cooler months.
The pool is the star of the show with its illusion of red water from the scarlet tiles that line it and the splendid views beyond. A covered outdoor lounge area shares the same panorama and guests could happily hop between pillows and pool for their entire stay. But that would be to miss out on the Baroque towns of not just Noto, but Ragusa and Modica, too. And then there are the beaches – Lido di Noto or the wild unspoilt places within the Vendicari Nature Reserve.
Rossa is more than just a villa, it’s also a work of art with a location that is very hard to beat.