ᐅ Elegant Residential Home in Roman Style – Who Builds This Kind of House?

Hello,

This is my first attempt to openly discuss a topic that may seem somewhat unusual to many. I hope I have chosen the right forum to present my concern. However, if this is not the appropriate place, I would appreciate suggestions on where this topic would be best addressed and apologize for any inconvenience.

Before I go into more detail, I would like to mention that I am still a relatively young co-owner of a small partnership at 24 years old and do not yet have fully developed plans for my dream project. However, I am reaching an age where I want to learn more about realistic possibilities, which is why I chose this forum. I am certainly far from my dream both financially and in terms of planning, and this inquiry is purely exploratory, to understand whom I should contact and what the limits of such a project might be. To start properly:

For many years, I have been fascinated by ancient architecture, whether through virtual reconstructions, still existing buildings like the Pantheon in Rome or the Maison Carrée in Nîmes, or neoclassical replicas such as La Madeleine in Paris. Of course, there are many other styles that also have their charm, but I have always wondered why so little is built today in this style. Early on, the dream arose to someday build my own home in a classical Roman style.

It is important to me that it be made from noble materials (Corinthian columns, frescoes, marble floors, mosaics, sculptures, etc.) as was the case with the ancient originals and, if possible, has an authentic, contemporary design while being adapted to modern living. Despite all the grandeur, I want to keep it as modest and small as possible since I could certainly never afford a large villa and want to keep it within realistic limits. I would be satisfied with a small building as a life goal; ideally, it would be large enough to include a small atrium with an inspiring garden.

My main questions are: How realistic is such a project today? If it is possible, who should I contact to pursue it? I would truly appreciate any advice I can get, as I have been researching on and off for several years but feel stuck.

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide! I am happy to answer any further questions.

Putting finances completely aside, since that’s the main reason why no one builds like this nowadays, I would probably try my luck with restorers and sculptors. They can surely provide you with further contacts to guide you in the right direction.

Ultimately, something this extravagant comes down to building with an architect who ideally can realize the project themselves and has expertise in the field. So I would look in that direction, probably even as the first step.

The question is whether a small house and this architectural style are compatible. Honestly, I don’t think they are. The style elements you mentioned were only used in ancient Rome by those who could afford to build large, representative buildings. Those who had to build small lived more simply—without Corinthian columns, frescoes, or sculptures. Mostly plain, rectangular shapes. Typically, I would imagine a courtyard, a so-called patio.

Whether that makes sense here and is feasible (building permit / planning permission!) is another matter.

I remember a dream house from the BR series of the same name that featured a modern courtyard. It looked very elegant!

You can certainly incorporate mosaics in the bathroom area (ancient Rome offers plenty of inspiration here), and frescoes can also enhance a living area or a patio.

Marble tiles are always an option and can be quite cozy in regions with underfloor heating—after all, the ancient Romans were the inventors of underfloor heating!

Overall, for a small construction project, I would suggest using the style elements very sparingly. In ancient Rome, columns were reserved for those living on the Palatine Hill and other upscale areas. The average Roman between the hills didn’t have them ;-)

You will usually have to deal with an existing building permit or planning permission. If it requires a pitched roof with a slope of 28°-40°, it will be difficult to achieve a Roman ambiance, at least on the outside.

Architects who may have already built something similar. On Pinterest, there are floor plans and modern interpretations.

All of this is useless without the necessary funds (which will be significantly more than a single-family house of comparable size with medium to high-end finishes).
A large plot of land
A building permit / planning permission that allows this

You will definitely need a lot of commercial success as a builder because a house like this won’t be cheap. For someone with this sense of style, it’s still somewhat feasible. However, if it’s not just an imitation but is meant to look like an authentic replica, you can practically add a zero to the cost. Stucco is now commonly sold by the meter (yard), and fresco painters are, to put it mildly, not exactly listed in the phone book.

MarcVillet schrieb:
It would be nice to have a size that still allows for a small atrium with an inspiring garden.

Unfortunately, the wish doesn’t get any easier to fulfill if it’s squeezed into the dimensions of a standard house. Moreover, an authentic atrium would usually include an impluvium, and the hortus is a separate additional part. Up to this point, there’s already a major obstacle called the “floor area ratio” in your path. And it continues with …

MarcVillet schrieb:
It is important to me that it is really made from noble materials (Corinthian columns, frescoes, marble floors, mosaics, sculptures, etc.)

… where the dealbreaker is that Corinthian columns rule out properties in §34 areas from the start. If you were willing to forego noble materials, the range of options would be much broader—although not in Germany: in the USA (or even Russia, as a future leading nation in nouveau riche baroque), it’s easier for a ‘Disneyland architect’ to find their shopping paradises. However, you shouldn’t be bothered if these end up as hollow façades—culture as injection-molded mass product (often with, to put it mildly, non-classical proportions) is very popular with Uncle Sam.

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Someone nearby has built (or is still building) something like this, combined with modern elements. It looks quite impressive, but in some places, the styles seem to clash somehow. It is surrounded by columns topped with typical flat triangular pediments (I have no idea what the exact technical terms are here). Behind them are huge glass surfaces, marble facades (I think it’s marble), roof terraces with Roman/Greek-style balustrades, and so on.
The house has three full stories and approximate basic dimensions of 20 x 30 meters (66 x 98 feet), with the ground floor estimated to have a ceiling height of about 5 meters (16 feet).
Construction has been ongoing for at least six years. So, you definitely need patience.