With a budget of €150,000, Alessio and Giulia were initially shown cramped apartments squeezed into the upper floors of nondescript buildings—spaces pre-designed for others, by others. But where convention confines, vision expands. And that’s exactly what happened. A “For Sale” sign sparked an instant revelation: an abandoned warehouse became the raw material for a radical project. Initial skepticism about trusting an architect transformed into a genuine bond—almost a friendship—between client and designer. It was thanks to Lorenzo, the architect’s guidance and vision, that the hidden potential of that ruin began to take shape. His contribution was pivotal: he skillfully interpreted desires, needs, and limitations, transforming them into a pure, essential architecture. Far from any convention, this project rejects compromise. It is driven solely by intuition, research, and experimentation. The result is a revolutionary architectural work, forged from the identity of its inhabitants and in constant dialogue with its surroundings. Here, luxury is surpassed—unnecessary. Because this is not just a house; it is a response. Today, that home is ready to be told—not simply as a dwelling, but as a manifesto. And this story, I chose to tell myself. I am Alessio—the client, but also the director of this documentary. I filmed every shot, wrote the narration, and edited the docufilm. For me, telling this story was inevitable!
Director – Alessio Fantinato
I’m not the kind of person who’ll impress you with a long list of academic achievements: I left school early due to family reasons and started working as an electrician. Then I moved behind the bar as a bartender. So no lecture halls for me… but plenty of real life. All the while, my camera was always by my side, until in 2018 it finally became my full-time job. I started filming weddings, then moved into video production for fashion and events. Along the way, I dipped my toes into the world of documentaries. My first one was born during a volunteer trip to the Indonesian Borneo jungle in 2014—an unforgettable experience and a powerful story, even if the technical side was, let’s say, a bit rough (okay, very rough—but hey, the passion was there!). The second documentary came during the Covid era, when a few colleagues and I captured that surreal time through the walls of our own homes, accompanied by the voices of those experiencing it from inside hospital wards. And now—at the same time as building the “Narrow House,” marrying my wife, and having two wonderful kids (yes, all in one chapter—I like a challenge)—I’ve finally created a documentary about this crazy house. And this time, it’s technically solid too. Today, I’m lucky enough to call my passion my profession—a job that demands emotion, creativity, and a sharp eye for stories. And documentaries? They’re still my favorite playground, the one that feels most like home.