PRECEDENT STUDIES

MIRRORCUBE
Tham & Videgård Arkitekter
a mirrored glass box
suspended round the
trunk of a tree in Harads,
northern Sweden.

4x4x4 metre cube named

Mirrorcube is accessed by
rope bridge

The exterior reflects the

surroundings and the sky,
creating a camouflaged
refuge.

plywood interior is
designed to accommodate
two people, containing a
double bed, bathroom,
living room and roof
terrace.
the windows
give a 360
degree view
of the
surroundings
.

https://www.dez
een.com/2011/0
1/12/tree-hotel-b
y-tham-videgard
-arkitekter/
 AGUAHOJA I
Neri Oxman's Mediated Matter Group
Five meters tall, the structure's skin is
composed of cellulose, chitosan, and
pectin – the planet's most abundant
materials, according to the studio.

demonstrates the application of

water-based robotic fabrication at a scale
close to natural ecologies.

"Derived from organic matter, printed by a

robot, and shaped by water, this work
points towards a future where the grown
and the made unite,"

The research group attempted to apply

the intrinsic intelligence of natural
ecologies to the way that we design and
fabricate the built environment.

The group seeks to enhance the

relationship between natural and
man-made environments by integrating
computational design with biofabrication.

The group's research in the area of

material ecology is then applied to design
from the micro scale to the building scale.
The structure's flexible
bio-composite skin is printed at
room temperature using
water-soluble materials. When
exposed to rain, it decomposes,
allowing the materials to reenter the
natural ecosystem and continue the
natural cycle.

According to the studio, through

small changes in chemical
composition, the organic materials
can be as tough and flexible as
leather or as rigid as wood.

The material also has the ability to

respond to changes in
environmental conditions such as
heat and humidity.

Aguahoja provides an example of

what can be made with the earth's
most abundant, organic materials,"
said the group.
TREEHOUSES
Peter Pichler
Sharply pointed roofs and
blackened wood cladding
intended to echo the forms of
surrounding fir and larch trees.

mountain forest in the Dolomites

of northern Italy.

serve as hotel rooms, offering

tourists the opportunity to connect
with nature.

nature and the integration of

architecture within it plays the
primary role.

the future of tourism is based on

the relationship of the human
being with nature. Well integrated,
sustainable architecture can
amplify this relationship,
built almost entirely
from locally sourced
larch and fir wood,
while the cladding
will be stained black
to blend with the
surroundings.

untreated fir wood

interior to create a
warm interior that
contrasts with the
facades.
https://www.dezeen.com/2019/03
/06/peter-pichler-treehouses-italia
n-dolomites-architecture/?li_sourc
e=LI&li_medium=rhs_block_1
WOODHOUSE HOTEL
ZJJZ Atelier
Tuanjie in China's Guizhou
Provence,

10 wooden cabins dotted amongst

a forest on a mountain.

three simple forms for the cabins,

one with a steep pitched roof, one
with a shallow mono-pitch, and the
other with a flat roof. scattered over
the site on stilts

locations determined based on the

most appealing views while
minimising disruption to rock
formations and trees.

Each cabin is clad all over with

charred timber, chosen for its
weather resistance and ability to
blend into the surrounding forest.
Simple fittings and wooden
finishes have been used to
make the rooms feel as
spacious as possible, while
keeping their volume to a
minimum so as not to have too
much presence in the
environment.

Windows are located uniquely in

each structure to make the most
of specific views, ranging from
thin slit-like windows to skylights
and large full-height openings.
CABIN STOKKØYA
Kappland Arkitekter
Cabin Stokkøya was
designed to focus on two
contrasting landscapes – out
towards the sea to the west,
and back at the dramatic
green scenery to the east.

"Perched on piles at the front

and anchored on a concrete
slab at the back, the building
gently hovers on the slope,
leaving hardly any footprint,"

stepped form of the building

creates several levels, both
in the interior spaces and on
the decking along the
eastern and western edges
of the home. This allows the
occupants to take advantage
of both the morning and
evening sun and helps
provide shelter from wind.
central living, kitchen
and dining area
occupies a long block
that runs parallel to
the contours of the
landscape

panoramic window in
the living space looks
out west towards the
sea, while windows in
the kitchen provide
closer, more intimate
views of the hillside's
vegetation.

Integrated furniture
enhances the natural
ways of inhabiting the
different spaces
WHAT I WANT TO INCORPORATE
● I want the retreat to blend in with the surroundings
● I want the exterior to mainly be made out of wood or maybe some type of material that has been
developed by the Mediated Matter Group because the material can change colour from humidity,
temperature and heat
● Maybe a small dock to store a kayak for the monsoon season
● Solar panel roofing (do we need to state how we get power, i'm not sure if this is relevant to our
criteria)
● Maybe some sort of floating system, maybe all or a small portion can float on water, maybe create a
storage place to store a raft (problem, if the entire thing can float then the structure isnt built for this
specific site)
● Double roof to exhaust hot air
● Large windows for views maybe floor to ceiling windows
● Incorporate Different levels, with one underwater level like a aquarium
 THE BIG U
BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group)
BLACK CONCRETE
By Attilio Panzeri