House of Dust

In this house classical orders and golden proportions celebrate dust. A grey base supports a ceiling of rustic plaster of the colour of the bare earth: craving for primordial caverns, for Renaissance grotesques, for baroque nymphaeums in Doria Pamphilj, for faintly Liberty façades in the streets off Via Veneto. A sequence of compressions and dilatations makes up the space of the house. On the walls, passages and windows appear, now dug out of the base, now like carvings in a baguette. A series of arches, memories of Trecento Italian painting, disguises doors and cupboards. Among these, one studded with a pink glass doorknob introduces the intimate rooms, which too are distinguished by the palest pink on the walls: yearning for dawns and flowers, the colour of beauty, the colour of beauty that dies.

dezeen.com , London, 5 Aug. 2013.

Architecture is dust.
Dust that becomes form,
Dust transfigured by the mind.

Dust is memory so dust is also death.
Ancestral memory of death,
Dust refers to the beginnings.

That modernity that disowns sediment,
That shaves walls, that sanitises space;
That modernity that disowns dust,
Disowns even death.

Deprived of memory,
And so slave to a credible youth,
Ignoring its end, it repeats itself;
Without end.

In this house classical orders
And golden proportions celebrate dust:
Angels and choirs have abandoned Heaven,
And Heaven has adorned itself with earth.

House of Dust, Rome, May 2013, p. 7.

Reference

• Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Zur Farbenlehre, J.G. Cotta, Tübingen, 1810; It. ed. Renato Troncon, La Teoria dei Colori, Il Saggiatore, Milan, 2008, pp. 260.

Data

• Time: March–Oct. 2012 (design), Nov. 2012–March 2013 (construction), March–April 2013 (photography), May 2013 (poem), June 2013 (text)
• Place: Ludovisi, Rome, Italy
• Area: 115 m² (one storey)
• Typology: apartment

Credits

• Architecture and furniture design, and construction management: Antonino Cardillo
• Client: Massimiliano Beffa
• Building contractor: Galliani & Giorgetti
• Masonry: Ripan Michele
• Plaster: Julian Paraschiv
• Logistics: Giorgio Giorgetti
• Painting: Petrica Rotaru
• Electrical system: Luca Camai
• Plumbing and clima system: Emiliano Proietto
• Cement: Elio Martorana and Michele Martorana
• Parquet: Style Maison
• Stones: Daniele Ghirardi (Ghirardi Stone Contractor)
• Handle: GIL (via Handles Rome)
• Lamps: Armand Darot
• Chair: Kazuhide Takahama
• Sofa: Piero Lissoni
• Bookcase: Giuseppe Bavuso
• Shower curtain: Pasquale Lo Guercio
• Photography, poem and text: Antonino Cardillo
• Translation: Charles Searson
• Idea of ‘Dust’ from a conversation with Ana Araujo at St Paul’s Cathedral of London
• Thanks to Ava Cappelletti, Gioia Guerzoni, Pasquale Marino, Paula O’Brien, and Auronda Scalera

Publications

(selected)

• Rita Cedrini, ‘L’antropologia nell’architettura’, paper presented to the series of cultural events of the Agostino Pepoli Museum, Trapani, 26 May 2023.
• Federica Manzitti, ‘Porte aperte all’architettura’ (pdf), Corriere della Sera, Rome, 19 May 2023, p. 17.
• Jane Englefield , ‘Ten residential interiors showcasing exposed plaster walls’ , dezeen.com, London, 10 April 2022.
• Antonino Cardillo, ‘House of Dust’ (pdf), Open House Roma, area 3, ed. Gaia Maria Lombardo, Rome, Sept. 2021, p. 16.
• Antonino Cardillo, ‘A synchronicity of cultures and civilisations’, lecture presented to the Dessauer Gespräche, ed. Johannes Kister, Hochschule Anhalt, Dessau Institute of Architecture, 13 Nov. 2019.
• Antonino Cardillo, ‘Da Zak McKracken ad House of Dust’, lecture presented to the Rome Video Game Lab, cur. Diego Grammatico e Giovanna Marinelli, Istituto Luce Cinecittà, Roma, 11 May 2019.
• Domenico Misciagna, ‘Antonino Cardillo, House of Dust e Zak McKracken’ , lucasdelirium.it, Rome, 27 May 2019.
• Kerstin Schultz, Hedwig Wiedemann-Tokarz, Eva Maria Herrmann, ‘Inherent color and material color’  [abstract], in Thinking Color in Space, Birkhäuser, Berlin‑Boston, Dec. 2018, pp. 342‑343.
• Annie Carroll, ‘Our top three favourite works by architect Antonino Cardillo’ , atelierlumira.com, Sydney, 22 Jan. 2018.
• Sabrina Puddu, ‘Uncanny beauty: unveiling a prison interior’ , Idea Journal, Wellington, Dec. 2017, p. 123.
• Antonino Cardillo, ‘Vaults, grottoes, arches and polychromy’, lecture part of the ArchitekTOUR Kongress, Heinze, Berlin, 22 Nov. 2017.
• Ecem Arslanay, ‘Mimarlık ve Toz’ , manifold.press, Istanbul, 10 Oct. 2017.
• Mrinalini Ghadiok, ‘Elemental’ (pdf), Mondo*Arc India, no. 15, New Delhi, July 2017, pp. 6, 50‑51, 60‑63.
• Monica Khemsurov, ‘Saturday selects: week of April 17, 2017’ , sightunseen.com, New York, 17 April 2017.
• Jeanette Kunsmann, Stephan Burkoff, ‘Architektur und Wahrheit’ (pdf), DEAR Magazin, no. 1, Berlin, April 2017, pp. 80‑83. baunetz-id.de 
• Trudie Carter, ‘10 of the most popular pink-hued interiors on Dezeen’s Pinterest boards’ , dezeen.com, London, 7 Oct. 2016.
• Beppe Finessi, ‘Storie di altre stanze’ (pdf), in Stanze. Altre Filosofie dell’Abitare, exhib. cat., ed. Beppe Finessi, Marsilio, Milan, Sept. 2016, pp. 169, 283.
• Carolin Höfler, ‘Hyper desire’ (pdf) , paper presented to the Wunsch, Technische Hochschule Köln, Cologne, 1 June 2016.
• Carolin Höfler, ‘Modelle in Wirklichkeit. Die digitalen Bildversprechen von Antonino Cardillo’, paper presented to the Constructed Realities, ed. Chris Dähne, Frederike Lausch and Bettina Rudhof, Goethe‑Universität, Deutsche Architekturmuseum, Frankfurt am Main, 1 Dec. 2015.
• Antonino Cardillo, ‘Faked reality’, paper presented to the Constructed Realities, ed. Chris Dähne, Frederike Lausch and Bettina Rudhof, Goethe‑Universität, Deutsche Architekturmuseum, Frankfurt am Main, 1 Dec. 2015.
• Sophia Klinkenberg, ‘Body building: Second skin’, in Being in shape / shaping environments, thesis, Koninklijke Academie van Beeldende Kunsten, The Hague, May 2015.
• Francesca Gottardo, ‘Architettura di polvere’ (pdf) [contents], Abitare la Terra, no. 37, dir. Paolo Portoghesi, Rome, March 2015, pp. 50‑53.
• Elisabetta Colombo, Paola Menaldo, ‘Effetto décor. Dalla parete scrostata alla carta da parati. Le tendenze del momento secondo 9 protagonisti italiani dell’interior decoration’ , Living, no. 1/2, Corriere della Sera, Milan, Feb. 2015, pp. 13, 83.
• Jeanette Kunsmann, ‘Neben der Realität: Die Schizophrenie der Branche’ (pdf), Baunetzwoche, no. 397, BauNetz, Berlin, Feb. 2015, pp. 8, 11.
• Nacho Alegre, ‘House of Dust’ (pdf), in ROOM: Inside Contemporary Interiors, Phaidon, London, Oct. 2014, pp. 64‑67, 419.
• Hannah Robinson, Aleksandra Szymanska, ‘Ephemeral spaces’ , Anti-Materials, LS:N Global, London, 14 Aug. 2014.
• Louis Gérin, Grégory Lamaud, ‘Mash up’ (pdf), in Texworld Trend Spring Summer 2015, Messe Frankfurt, Paris, 2014, pp. 31, 61.
• Haim Capone, ‘לא הולך בתלם’ (pdf), Trend, no. 141, Tel Aviv, March 2014, pp. 170‑180.
• Jenny Dalton, ‘Decorative ceilings’ , How to Spend It, Financial Times, London, March 2014, pp. 3, 71, 74.
• Christine Schroder, ‘Wohnung „House of Dust“ in Rom’ (pdf), AIT Magazin, no. 3/14, Leinfelden‑Echterdingen, March 2014, pp. 120‑125.
• Ana Araujo, ‘Feeling through sight: zooming in, zooming out’, The Journal of Architecture, vol. 19, no. 1, RIBA, London, Jan. 2014, pp. 14‑15.
• Danny Hudson, ‘Antonino Cardillo constructs the House of Dust in Rome’ , designboom.com, London, 14 Dec. 2013.
• Antonino Cardillo, ‘Antonino Cardillo: House of Dust’, paper presented to the ‘Intermediate Unit 2’, AA School, London, 20 Nov. 2013.
• WGSN, ‘Data divination’ (pdf), in Homebuildlife Macro Trends Autumn/Winter 2015/16, London, Nov. 2013.
• Riya Patel, ‘Domestic philosophy’ (pdf), Frame, no. 95, Amsterdam, Nov. 2013, pp. 58‑59.
• Sandra Bermudez, ‘Morada de lo efimero’ (pdf), Folio, vol. 4, Mexico City, Oct. 2013, pp. 42‑43.
• Antonino Cardillo, Felix Mara, ‘House of Dust, Rome by Antonino Cardillo Architect’ (pdf), Architects’ Journal Specification, London, Oct. 2013, pp. 4, 50‑55, cover.
• Dana Tomic Hughes, ‘House of Dust by Antonino Cardillo’ , yellowtrace.com.au, Sydney, 27 Sept. 2013.
• Antonino Cardillo, ‘Dust to dust…’ , worldarchitecturenews.com, ed. Siân Disson, London, 21 Aug. 2013.
• Mitchell Oakley Smith, ‘House of Dust’, mroakleysmith.com, Sydney, 16 Aug. 2013.
• Tim Berge, ‘Haus aus Staub’ , designlines.de, BauNetz, Berlin, 13 Aug. 2013.
• Pasquale Marino (dir.), Valentina Belli (ph.), ‘House of Dust by Antonino Cardillo’ [video], Dezeen Architecture Movies, London, 5 Aug. 2013.
• Amy Frearson, ‘House of Dust by Antonino Cardillo’ , dezeen.com, London, 5 Aug. 2013. {tags: antonino cardillo, rome}
• Antonino Cardillo, ‘A Roma la Casa della Polvere’ [video], ultrafragola.com, ed. Paolo Maria Noseda, Milan, 25 June 2013.
• Paolo Maria Noseda, ‘Una casa, una visione’ , Casamica, no. 3/13, Corriere della Sera, Milan, June 2013, pp. 74‑83. {tag: house of dust}
• Antonino Cardillo, ‘Incontro con l’architetto Antonino Cardillo’, Radio 3 Suite [radio program], ed. Andrea Penna, RAI Radio 3, Rome, 6 June 2013.
• Antonino Cardillo, House of Dust, Rome, May 2013, pp. 1‑40. Printed in 250 copies.
• Federico Caruso, Greto mare arcaico [email], Florence, 14 April 2013.
• Paula O’Brien, Music for the House of Dust [audio], wds. Antonino Cardillo, Bradford, 5 April 2013.