Casa NIR is an apartment located on the fifth floor of a residential building constructed in the historic center of Ragusa.
The building stands on the site of a prominent noble palace that, during the 1960s, underwent a controversial partial demolition and reconstruction.
All that remains of the historic structure is the ancient portal, which today serves as the main entrance to the building’s staircase. Located on the left side of the building, this positioning forces a single lateral entrance to all the apartments, posing challenges for internal circulation and layout distribution.
Facing the Cathedral square, the apartments are naturally characterized by long hallways that stretch from the entrance, cutting through the floor plan to ensure the primary living spaces benefit from the best views.
The renovated apartment features a living area that opens onto both the Cathedral and a covered rear terrace. This dual exposure provides an abundance of natural light that reflects throughout the space, highlighting the existing glossy blue and white ceramic flooring, which recalls the iconic pattern of Copacabana’s calçadão.
The design focuses on the hallway: it expands at the entrance to create a welcoming foyer, narrows alongside the bedrooms, and finally opens up into the spacious living room.
The remaining space is occupied by a central utility block housing the kitchen and pantry. This block features integrated sliding wood and glass panels that can isolate the kitchen from the other rooms if necessary.
This central box marks the boundary between the original flooring, which was deliberately preserved, and the new wooden floor. The pattern of the new flooring, combined with the design of the drop ceilings, emphasizes the theme of expansion within the circulation system.
