bergmeisterwolf elevates three 'forest houses' at the foot of an italian woodland

this rural retreat by architecture firm bergmeisterwolf comprises three timber-clad volumes, which fan out into the landscape. the project is located in deutschnofen, an area in the province of south tyrol in northern italy, and references the region’s mountain peaks. ‘the horizontal shifting causes the different elevation in the height layers and thus also the different perspectives of the three composition,’ explains the design team.

all images by gustav willeit

positioned on concrete slabs, elevated above the landscape, the ‘forest houses’ are sited at the foot of the forest. clad with a dark timber, the three identical volumes become a unified object that forms part of the natural landscape. ‘the black-brown laths continue the facade over the roof, giving it a monotonous, floating character,’ bergmeisterwolf continues.

each dwelling is accessed by means of a wooden bridge and a covered entrance. meanwhile, at the rear, large cantilevered terraces allow the interior to merge with the exterior. internally, the shape of the roof remains evident throughout. ‘the buildings are interdependent and reinforce each other in form, distance and positioning,’ say the architects. ‘structures that enter into relationship are connected by their appearance, like a unit and stand individually by themselves.’

project info:

architect: bergmeisterwolf architekten

client: eva and brigitte zelger, daniel mahlknecht

location: deutschnofen, italy

area: 132 sqm (1,420 sqf)

photography: gustav willeit