![An abandoned stone ruin that was once overgrown with brambles, has been transformed into a small off-grid home.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/contemporary-architecture-stone-ruin-house-design-160324-1056-01.jpeg)
Architect Dario Castellino has transformed an abandoned stone ruin that was once overgrown with brambles, into a small off-grid home.
![An abandoned stone ruin that was once overgrown with brambles, has been transformed into a small off-grid home with burnt larch wood and large windows.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/contemporary-architecture-stone-ruin-house-design-160324-1056-02.jpeg)
Overlooking Stura Valley in Roccasparvera, Italy, the modern expansion of the ruin includes burnt larch wood and large windows.
![An abandoned stone ruin that was once overgrown with brambles, has been transformed into a small off-grid home with burnt larch wood and large windows.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/contemporary-architecture-stone-ruin-house-design-160324-1056-03.jpg)
The home uses reclaimed wood from the Stura valley, while the expansion features a structure with slender wooden pillars resting on a reinforced concrete slab.
![An abandoned stone ruin that was once overgrown with brambles, has been transformed into a small off-grid home with burnt larch wood and large windows.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/contemporary-architecture-stone-ruin-house-design-160324-1056-04.jpg)
![An abandoned stone ruin that was once overgrown with brambles, has been transformed into a small off-grid home with burnt larch wood and large windows.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/contemporary-architecture-stone-ruin-house-design-160324-1056-05.jpeg)
Inside, the main floor of the home includes a sitting area by the windows.
![A small off-grid home with burnt larch wood and large windows, includes a sitting area with a fireplace.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/rural-home-sitting-area-floor-to-ceiling-windows-160324-1109-01.jpg)
There’s also a dining area, fireplace, and kitchen located in the same space as the sitting area.
![A small off-grid home with burnt larch wood and large windows, includes a sitting area, a fireplace, dining area, and kitchen.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/rural-home-dining-kitchen-area-fireplace-160324-1109-01.jpg)
The bathroom is also located on the main floor of the home, and includes a toilet, vanity, and shower.
![The bathroom of an off-grid home includes a vanity, toilet, and shower.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/rural-home-bathroom-stone-ruin-160324-1109-01.jpg)
The connection to the pre-existing structure is made through an internal wooden staircase, located in the reconstructed and isolated old portico.
![The connection to the pre-existing structure is made through an internal wooden staircase, located in the reconstructed and isolated old portico.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/rural-home-sitting-wood-stairs-160324-1109-01.jpeg)