Research's IaaC - Branchy Treehouse

Introductory Design Studio I - ArboReal Home (Treehouse)

Faculty: Areti Markopoulou, Luis Fraguada
Advisor: Gerard Passola
Guest Tutor: Michel Rojkind
Students: Margherita Filpi, Marianne Villalobos Emonet

BRANCHY HOUSE

 Cocculus main characteristics underlined by the previous tree analysis:

-Multitrunked  tree

-Twsting and torsioning as a structural strategy

-Umbrella shape canopy

-Joints: strongest structural points

-Branch located in the best position to get the sun is the oldest and the dominant.

 Keypoints  focused on for the project:

1.Fisiology of the tree ,to keep on mind in order not to damage the tree (preserve roots, light need of the leaves).

2. The macrostructure of the tree creates an interesting void space .

3. Jointsas possible points to anchor the structure

4. Characteristical way of colonization of the tree.

Design process_The branchy house is a big object torsioning and twisting that is working as another branch following the genetic, the geometry, the way of bending,  torsioning and twisting of the cocculus tree and maintaining its logical structure. Starts growing from an existing branch,then it splits growing toward the top looking for the sun, and in direction of the ground in order to colonize, as the natural genetic of the tree tends to do when it is left free in the forest.

It has been influenced  by the environment  in the way it tooks advantage of the ‘’available space’’ in order to grow.

The permeable skin of the house is an abstraction of the pattern of the Cocculus leaves, which reproduce at a microscale the same broken lines and movements of the branches. As going toward the top it enlarges and grows in its internal dimension opening more itself and changing its resolution depending on the sun, the environment  and on the ‘’spaces’’ that the tree provides to the house to get pleasure from.

 Program & function _A new branch as a playful object.The branchy house is an object to be  discovered. The program proposed is the result of the study of the scale and the qualities of the tree.  A camping house for kids is growing at the top of this zig - zagging structure, where the idea is to experience the tectonics of this tree by this new branch.

Playing-jumping-climbing up-exploring-hiding-sliding-springboard-permeable are some of the key words that better describes the activities that the house can generate  in its young users, the only ones allowed to enter  and enjoy its secrets.