A series of minimal white blocks interlock to form this holiday home by Studio Andrew Trotter, which takes cues from local architecture in Puglia.
Named Villa Cardo, the four-bedroom dwelling is designed for a couple who wanted a peaceful summer retreat amidst olive groves in Carovigno, a town in the south of Italy.

Studio Andrew Trotter modelled the residence on traditional cubic houses found across Puglia to ensure that it complements its surroundings.
By using local construction techniques the studio made sure the building is light, airy and cool.

"When designing, I look for ways for my buildings to fit within the local area. I want my house to belong to their surroundings, not stand out and something strange or too new," studio founder Andrew Trotter told Dezeen. "We wanted to keep the house simple like the old local buildings, white cubes that have a feeling of the past, to fit beautifully in between the olive trees."

Houses in Puglia are traditionally constructed from a local sandstone called Tufo that has a high thermal mass. They also often feature vaulted ceilings and cut-outs in the facades designed to cool the houses.
Finished with a chalky-white paint, Villa Cardo borrows these details to reduce its dependence on air conditioning in the summer or heating in the winter.

Villa Cardo has four bedrooms and large entertainment areas, including a basement cinema room, living room and large dining room.
There is also a TV room that can sleep tw...