AMDL CIRCLE + michele de lucchi use salvaged wood for 'case del prato'

AMDL CIRCLE, the firm led by architect michele de lucchi, has completed two timber structures that between them add six bedrooms to the ‘zirmerhof’, a luxury hotel in northeast italy. the project, titled ‘case del prato’ (‘homes in the pasture’), is situated in the verdant mountains of south tyrol. the two buildings have been realized using wood salvaged from the vaia storm of october 2018, which tore down 14 million trees and damaged the woodland around the hotel itself.

all images by max rommel | video by dario d’incerti

‘the wounds produced by storm vaia are still visible when you look around zirmerhof and you see the empty patches of woodland,’ says michele de lucchi. ‘we still find it hard to believe how violent the wind of vaia was, and how it could fell and carry away so many trees. yet the message that vaia left us is quite clear. it is a message that comes from a tale of climate change and that shows us how nature is rebelling against our inconsiderate actions, against those anthropogenic changes that are far from natural.’

the structures have been conceived as sculptural volumes that integrate with the surrounding landscape. they replace a parking lot that negatively impacted views for hotel guests and which has now been relocated to a more secluded area. instead of cars and concrete, the two houses form a welcoming piazza where the history of the farmstead dialogues with the nature of the fields and woodland.

salvaged pinewood has been used for the beams and to build load-bearing walls, while formwork, cladding, and internal walls and floors were realized using salvaged larchwood. ‘wood is, of course, the key player in the whole design, chosen for ability to transform over time while maintaining a synergy with the rhythms of nature, also after being felled, sawn, processed and recomposed,’ explain the architects.

clad with larchwood shingles, the structures’ roofs recall the form of traditional barns. although the two buildings share a similar rounded form, the two houses have different layouts. the first is circular and accommodates two suites located on two different levels, while the second is linear and houses four apartments and a double-height void. both designs feature panoramic terraces on the top floors and continuous porticos at ground level. meanwhile, the doors and windows reference the traditional apertures of mountain houses.

the interiors have been made possible by produzione privata, the company founded by michele de lucchi to design and produce experimental objects while supporting local artisans. to recall the antique furniture of the farmstead, many of the interior pieces have been realized in walnut and are characterized by certain elements typical of local decor. the color palette and the textures of wood and fabric have been chosen to communicate a sense of warmth, while the windows have been carefully positioned to frame views of the rolling landscape.