Where the house ends and the sea begins
Casa FF, Alcamo. A project by architect Filippo Caprioglio featuring Mirage Glocal surfaces.
When we think of the Mediterranean, we almost always remember its colors: the azure of the water, the ochre of the earth, the green of the olive trees. On these hills, however, the project poses a different question. Not what color a Mediterranean house is, but where it ends.
Stripping away until only the light remains
On the hills of Alcamo, between land and sea, in 2025 architect Filippo Caprioglio completed a volume that strips away almost everything. No decoration, no textural accents, no elements demanding attention for themselves.
The white of the volumes is not a color; it is a backdrop. A sensitive surface that registers the Sicilian light hour after hour, from the midday vertical sun that flattens the planes to the long shadows of the evening that redraw them. Below, the flooring maintains a lower tone, a warm light neutral that doesn't compete with the walls, but supports them and lets them rise. It is this subtle difference between the vertical and horizontal that gives the house depth, constantly shifting without moving a single line.
The white of the volumes is not a color; it is a backdrop. A sensitive surface that registers the Sicilian light hour after hour, from the midday vertical sun that flattens the planes to the long shadows of the evening that redraw them. Below, the flooring maintains a lower tone, a warm light neutral that doesn't compete with the walls, but supports them and lets them rise. It is this subtle difference between the vertical and horizontal that gives the house depth, constantly shifting without moving a single line.
A single surface, inside and out
Simple, rigorous lines define a sequence of luminous interiors and spacious, sunlit outdoor areas, with large glass openings dissolving the boundary between the two conditions. But in a home built on continuity, every threshold is a potential break. Any change of material brings back the perception of two separate spaces—one sheltered, one outdoors—instantly undoing the work done on the volumes. The horizontal plane is the only element that spans the entire project, making it the one thing that can either hold it together or betray it.
Here, that horizontal plane is Glocal, the porcelain stoneware collection by Mirage that interprets troweled concrete in the shade GC02 Perfect. Installed throughout the interiors, onto the terraces, along the walkways, and all the way to the edge of the infinity pool. A single texture running from the heart of the home to the water.
Across an expanse of this size, a texture with strong shade variation would read as a mosaic of adjacent slabs, drawing attention back to the material itself. Glocal works in reverse, with subtle color transitions and a clean pattern that, in large formats, behaves as a seamless plane. It is not a surface designed to demand attention, but one that allows everything else to be noticed.
Here, that horizontal plane is Glocal, the porcelain stoneware collection by Mirage that interprets troweled concrete in the shade GC02 Perfect. Installed throughout the interiors, onto the terraces, along the walkways, and all the way to the edge of the infinity pool. A single texture running from the heart of the home to the water.
Across an expanse of this size, a texture with strong shade variation would read as a mosaic of adjacent slabs, drawing attention back to the material itself. Glocal works in reverse, with subtle color transitions and a clean pattern that, in large formats, behaves as a seamless plane. It is not a surface designed to demand attention, but one that allows everything else to be noticed.
Where the surface meets the water.
In Alcamo, the sun shines for most of the year, and the surface extends right up to the pool edge. The exact same shade and texture are available in different finishes and thicknesses—those designed for interiors and those engineered for outdoor spaces and the poolside. The aesthetic remains unified, performance adapts where needed, and the surface reaches the water's edge without compromising a thing.
Here, Casa FF finds its true balance. A home that puts nothing on display, leaving the Mediterranean light to speak for itself.
Further insight
Project sheet
Project sheet
- Project: Casa FF
- Type: Private residence
- Location: Alcamo, Trapani, Sicily, Italy
- Architect: Caprioglio Architects – Architect Filippo Caprioglio
- Collaborator: Architect Gabriele Feraco
- Year of Completion: 2025
Mirage surfaces
Mirage surfaces
- Collection: Glocal
- Look / Effect: Smoothed concrete
- Color: Glocal 02 – Perfect
- Sizes installed: 60×120 and 120×120 cm
- Finishes: Natural for interiors, ST finish for pool deck outdoors
- Slip resistance rating: R11
- Supplied surface area: Approx. 450 sq. m
- Application areas: Interiors, terraces, walkways, poolside
FAQ
FAQ
- Can you lay the same porcelain stoneware inside and outside without thresholds? Yes, provided that the collection offers the same shade and texture in different finishes and thicknesses. In Casa FF, the Glocal surface flows through the indoor spaces, extends onto the terraces, and reaches the pool edge, maintaining a unified design and changing finish only where performance demands it.
- Which finish is required around the pool? Around the pool deck, a finish with the required slip-resistance rating for wet barefoot areas [value to be confirmed] is needed. In the Glocal collection, the outdoor version keeps the exact same color and pattern as the indoor finish, ensuring the visual continuity remains unbroken.
- Is concrete-look porcelain stoneware suitable for outdoor use? Yes. Porcelain stoneware is non-porous, color-stable under sunlight, and resistant to freeze-thaw cycles. With the correct thickness and finish, it can be used on terraces, walkways, and pool edges.
Which sizes are available in the Glocal collection?
Which sizes are available in the Glocal collection?
9 mm Thickness
- 30×30 cm (NAT)
- 15×60 cm (SP)
- 30×60 cm (NAT, SP, ST)
- 60×60 cm (NAT, SP, ST)
- 60×120 cm (NAT, SP, ST)
- 80×80 cm (NAT, SP)
- 80×160 cm (SP)
- 120×120 cm (SP)
- 120×240 cm (SP)
6 mm Thickness
- 60×120 cm (SP)
- 120×120 cm (NAT)
- 120×278 cm (SP)
- 160×320 cm (SP)
12 mm Thickness
- 162×324 cm (SP)
- 60×60 cm (ST)
- 80×80 cm (ST)
- 60×120 cm (ST)
- 120×120 cm (ST)
30 mm Thickness
60×60 cm (ST)