t house – timber house

The project involves demolishing and rebuilding a two-storey rectangular building attached to another building in Varese. The new timber house reproduces its volume, enlarged within the limits allowed by the local plan. While from an urban point of view the building is bound by its constraints (distances from boundaries and from the street…), the design of the new timber house aims to bring out the classic themes of green building and sustainability. Minimising land use, using natural materials (CLT, wood fibre, gypsum fibreboard…), designing ergonomic spaces and installing systems for comfort and a drastic reduction in energy use and emissions are strategies that ensure very high energy savings and sustainability. The timber building, intended as holiday accommodation, has a typical floor plan with a central core, for a total of three floors and six apartments. Its unfavourable orientation and an unremarkable setting make the architecture spare and introverted on the outside; the T-shaped plan is boldly expressed outside, while inside the spaces are welcoming thanks to the angled side walls and plenty of natural light. The openings in the rebuilt volume are rhythmic and regular, recalling the previous building, while those in the new block are freer and larger. The photovoltaic "carpet" on the roof is the most striking element; the eaves are not abandoned but reinterpreted to mark where the building meets the sky. It is one of the first three-storey prefabricated timber buildings in Varese. The owners are awaiting the CasaClima Welcome certificate for the high level of sustainability achieved. High sustainability, timber prefabrication, eco-friendly materials and attention to interiors and ergonomic furniture are some of the defining features of the LCA studio.