No.3
IN HABITUS with VILLA CLEA: Discover ways of forming community through spaces, designing architecture, and developing real estate.
IN HABITUS with VILLA CLEA: Discover ways of forming community through spaces, designing architecture, and developing real estate.
Last month, my partner and I took a trip to Milan for Salone, set with the intention to get inspired by the design work showcasing and bring back knowledge and pieces to enrich the communities I serve in LA. As someone deeply entrenched in design-centric real estate, I'm constantly seeking innovative ways to infuse spaces with creativity, whether by reimagining existing homes or building bespoke projects from the ground up alongside my clients.
While I was here, I met with two architects/designers, Allina and Matteo, who founded the site Villa Clea in Milan’s Scalo di Porta Romano district. As visionaries, they purchased an auto mechanic shop and transformed it into a residence that now serves as an art residency too. Transitioning from one urban landscape to another, their project prompted profound reflections on the possibilities of space utilization in densely populated environments. In our interview, delve deeper into their journey and groundbreaking approach:
For future projects to build you may reach out and contact Matteo & Allina directly at info@villaclea.com
Who is who and how did it all come together?
Allina: We met at university studying architecture. After we moved to Belgium working for 4 years at an architectural firm. Mostly doing projects as a duo.
Matteo: She was doing the art and design side of all projects. I was more involved in the composition of the architecture.
Allina: Then we left the rain in Belgium for more sunnier days in Italy. When we came to Italy we began participating in an art residency together. Here we discovered how it feels to be with other creatives. And at the same time, we were also each started a PhD. I did my PhD focusing on artistic intuition.
Matteo: My PhD was focused on domestic romance, to express the importance of emotionality inside spaces. And the fact that emotion is something that you must deal with when you are building, sometimes that gets left out when you build modern and contemporary buildings. And at the same time, I started to build Villa Clea and that became a manifesto.
Living in an urban landscape, like LA or Milan, there are so many challenges faced with owning real estate and finding land to build on due to the density/ scarcity and affordability! How did you guys do this?
Matteo: In fact, the building was originally an auto mechanic shop not meant to be residential, so when the person sold the place, they weren’t aware of what it was going to be transformed into. The process was long and very radical, I had a lot of convincing to do and documents to submit to the city.
Lots of people were saying, you're crazy and not to build in the neighborhood we found it in too
Me: so, what I'm hearing it takes thinking outside the box?
Allina: yes.
The buildings in this neighborhood are very city-like, brick multi-stories, and the architecture you designed here changed the very essence so how did you balance that relationship with the neighborhood to steer away from this notion of gentrification?
Allina: I think two main factors helped.
Matteo: One was the fact that I was working inside the building site a lot, the neighbors saw I was building something, and each time I was meeting with the neighbors outside walking by and talking about what we were doing. Normally other architects when they build at a site they just go there and go away for a while until it's done.
On the other hand, I also was trusting what I was doing. Then we see the results already after like just 7 months of being open to the public. I mean, we receive daily requests to come to see Villa Clea and use it for events, shooting plays, or whatever.
Allina: We also built a garden on the roof so neighbors can see plants and beauty around them. I also open the space for neighbors to come by and engage with them like baking cakes together eating panettone and things like that.
So automatically this started to form a community, how did it evolve into now becoming an artist residency?
Allina: At first it was like the idea of our house and our space of work. Then COVID came, and we realized that to share spaces is important and living together with other creatives was very important from the last experience we had when we attended a residency. So we wanted to implement that sentiment also in our own building.
Matteo: I have to say that each artist that is coming here is bringing also his or her own community to Milan and connecting it worldwide and that is something really nice
Me: I think space is everything. It's like when you finally allow a space for people to come into and to create what they really want. That is just total freedom.
Lastly, what is something you both would share for our generation of builders and the evolution of real estate?
Matteo: My suggestion is to be very consistent going in your direction, but also with an openness of stakes and curiosity of what's going on.
I think having a property is something that is really, important, and having the possibility to be able to share it. The type of people that could be brave to start a process like we did that want to use their power to transform a building into a power of sharing the building.
Allina: This way to own something, it turns into being a responsibility to care for a piece of land or a piece of this world. The place you take care of is the place you also share with others.
My last answer too is about the fact that probably our generation doesn't want to own things, while for our generation I think given the necessity to share spaces and build community is kind of really up to us and will probably be the future of real estate.
Check out what’s on market right now in LA for mixed use commercial + residential spaces, reach out if interested!
DRE 002213442 GO@Habitus-LA.comNo. 2
What does radical imagination look like when it comes to real estate?
What does radical imagination look like when it comes to real estate?
As our communities continue to evolve, opening up new areas of development, it also creates opportunities for others to get involved. I always approach real estate holistically, telling clients that their home is more than just four walls. I also love to say, "follow the commercial to know where to invest residentially." So, to all the business owners out there doing radical build-outs and bringing culture to areas, thank you!
All the hot areas of LA have mostly been bought out. So, for first-time buyers and investors looking for more affordable opportunities, we have to begin to think holistically and start following the trends of all that is involved in shaping communities, bringing true value to real estate.
With that being said, this month I had the pleasure of hosting our first seminar aimed for First Time Home Buyers, in collaboration with a fantastic team of real estate experts and community members. If you missed it, take a look here to review the deck of super insightful information! And when you're ready to take those next steps, know we're here to support you!
Real Estate in the News
Local Happenings
Coming out of art week in LA
Discovery.
Also, had the pleasure of immersing in LA's art scene during the art week at the end of February, discovering new incredible pieces at Merit LA, Terminal 27, and Better Gift Shop's exhibition held at Stone Island's activation during Frieze LA which I had the honor to support.
To find art for your home tap into these sites!
Better Gift Shop
Terminal 27
Merit LA
Featured Listings
No.1
Welcome to Habitus LA: where home meets design and community is crafted with intention.
Habitus LA: where home meets design and community is crafted with intention.
Our habitats have profound influence on our lives; and are the foundation that ground us . This led me to Habitus LA - home to design centric real estate, furnishings, and a place to provide resources that support communities of Los Angeles.
Investing in real estate, be it residential or commercial, it’s crucial to understand the “how” and “why” behind design centric investments. When we approach real estate with the thoughtfulness required to create beautiful living spaces and intentional communities, we empower the city to prioritize conscientious infrastructure over the one-size-fits-all housing concept.
“How” …
As a Los Angeles native, I grew up in East Hollywood surrounded by some of the most groundbreaking architecture the city has to offer. It was structures like Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic Hollyhock House in Los Feliz b.1919 that were repurposed as communal spaces like Barnsdall Art Park that made me curious how buildings could become works of art in and of themselves. The investment and accompanying trust built into creative projects like this back then created a bold new housing movement in the city.
In the early 1940s, post-World War II, a surge of investment in Los Angeles' housing expansion led to remarkable residences designed by visionaries like Neutra, Ellwood, Eames, Koenig, and others known as the "Case Study” homes. The prioritization they took into aesthetics, sustainability, and everyday design with these projects paved the way for an entirely new type of community housing development.
Today, builders draw inspiration from these figures, including modern architects like John Sofio of Silverlake. Influenced by the homes of Neutra, John Lautner, and Gregory Ain, Sofio began building in the neighborhood during the '90s. His work extends beyond single-family homes to commercial projects centered on LA’s unique culture. Sofio's nightclub designs, such as Deliah, Nice Guy, Bootsy Bellow, and Poppy’s, among others, which have shaped LA’s landscape of going-out destinations, illustrating that design is as communal as it is personal.
The LA we know of today, including all of its cultural landmarks, restaurants, clubs, has been intentionally created. The how behind progressive architecture, preservation, and community is essential.
Leading to why investing in design influences is so impactful towards our surrounding neighborhoods. Truly creating lasting value that won’t fade or depreciate with the markets.
Real estate goes beyond property value; it cultivates community, inspires culture, and enriches the space around us. Here, to provide unique space for curated architectural homes, design-centered real estate offerings, and one-of-a-kind furnishings from local artists. Together, we can keep LA’s iconic real estate alive and continue to design a better tomorrow.
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John Sofio recently launched his new school in the high desert of Joshua Tree. Sofio’s New American Design (NAD) was created to teach others about the positive impact of architectural design on our daily lives. “Teaching this philosophy in the high desert allows me to forward what I have learned from working amongst the historic masters of modern design in Silver Lake.” - Sofio
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