Through a balancing of light and dark, Casa Chiavoscuro references an Italian principle of fine art to emphasising volume through contrast. Biasol brings a modern sophistication through materiality and detail to create a contemporary home of clean lines and a minimal palette.

Though usually reserved for application in fine art, Casa Chiavoscuro successfully interprets the Italian methodology of chiavoscuro in an architectural context, balancing light and dark as a means to emphasise volume through contrast. Biasol brings a modern sensibility and refined sophistication to the resulting family home, where attention to clean lines and nuanced details express materiality and texture. This contemporary home conveys a deliberate restraint to evoke a sense of calm, and through its minimal palette allows for an expression of core materials to be highlighted in play with the incoming natural light.

Located in Melbourne, Casa Chiavoscuro applies the dissected principles of the chiavoscuro technique to all facets of the home and its comprising parts. The effect of a duality of tone, and its consequent effect on perceived volume, depth and lightness, allows for a series of both active and connected spaces to co-exist under the same roof with the more passive spaces of retreat. Through the use of tonality and contrast, light interacts with materiality creating a heightened depth of field. This family home is grounded on principles that are further strengthened through materials and solids, on being modern, minimal and place of retreat.

At just over 670 square metres, the generous use of space sees an entry where a light-filled staircase welcomes an audience, with dark accents contrasting against the light timber treads, leading the eye upward. Throughout, the integration of joinery in black oak creates an element of depth against the lighter adjacent palette of grey natural stone, linen, terrazzo and plaster. The natural veining of the stone adds an organic element, hinting at movement. Externally, the use of grey concrete render on the upper floor sits atop a black timber-clad lower story as it addresses the streetscape.

Through an application of boldness through a refined lens, Biasol has created a contemporary family home that will extend beyond its years. The subtle, and sometimes stark, contrasts between tonal variations further emphasise objects, furniture and joinery elements, and the introduction of lightwells and floor-to-ceiling glazing elements encourage a flooding of natural light into the internal spaces. Casa Chiavoscuro is a calming, texturally interesting and inviting contemporary abode, whose layered tonality can be connected to a philosophy grounded in the Italian fine art principles of creating the perfect balance.