Wood cladding and blackened steel details featured in House L in an effort to integrate the architecture into a protected natural area
Wood cladding and blackened steel details featured in House L in an effort to integrate the architecture into a protected natural area

Wood cladding and blackened steel details featured in House L in an effort to integrate the architecture into a protected natural area

House L stands in a protected area in the municipality of san martino, in the autonomous province of bolzano, italy. The l-shaped building embraces the old silver fir tree placed in the center of the garden, turning its back on the volumes of businesses that flank it 

Externally almost completely clad in wood, the House L, designed by Plasma Studio architects, houses the daytime functions on the ground floor, where large covered terraces precede the entrance to the house and extend toward the garden

Wood cladding and blackened steel details featured in House L in an effort to integrate the architecture into a protected natural area

Internally, the living area gravitates around the fireplace, which is open to both the kitchen and the living room. The position of the kitchen is defined so that it receives the morning sun, that of the living room welcomes the warm afternoon light that penetrates deep into the space. The double height of these two rooms, together with a gallery that extends into the middle and the sloping roof give a volume-rich and dynamic spatial experience. 
The rooms are set up in a two-level organization and are preceded by a simple balcony that also gives access to the garden

Wood cladding and blackened steel details featured in House L in an effort to integrate the architecture into a protected natural area

The moodboard chosen for House L is essential with a limited selection of materials. The west and east facades are clad in vertical wood panels in dark tones, rough-sawn. This cladding extends as a continuum over the sloping roof, which from the north and south is perceived as a pitched roof. Additive elements on the east and west sides, such as the porch and balcony, are made of blackened galvanized steel. The north and south facades are set back from the wooden panels so that they are perceived as framing. The interior is dominated by larch and pine. Dark shades of gray are used to create purposeful points of contrast

Wood cladding and blackened steel details featured in House L in an effort to integrate the architecture into a protected natural area

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