Architecture

Compact eco-home in Tuscany hovers over veggie garden

Compact eco-home in Tuscany hovers over veggie garden
Italian architectural studio LDA.iMdA has recently completed a sustainable compact home that hovers above the ground
Italian architectural studio LDA.iMdA has recently completed a sustainable compact home that hovers above the ground
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Italian architectural studio LDA.iMdA has recently completed a sustainable compact home that hovers above the ground
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Italian architectural studio LDA.iMdA has recently completed a sustainable compact home that hovers above the ground
Innovative compact home leaves a small footprint on its rural landscape
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Innovative compact home leaves a small footprint on its rural landscape
Casa Nell'Orto, meaning “House in the Orchard,” was designed to sit within a large pre-existing vegetable garden setting
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Casa Nell'Orto, meaning “House in the Orchard,” was designed to sit within a large pre-existing vegetable garden setting
Casa Nell'Orto is located in the Tuscan town of San Miniato
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Casa Nell'Orto is located in the Tuscan town of San Miniato
Casa Nell'Orto is a simple, modern and sustainable home that connects its owners directly with their much loved vegetable garden
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Casa Nell'Orto is a simple, modern and sustainable home that connects its owners directly with their much loved vegetable garden
Casa Nell'Orto boasts a sleek and minimalist interior
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Casa Nell'Orto boasts a sleek and minimalist interior
Prefabricated self-supporting panels made from larch wood, polystyrene and fir wood make up the interior walling
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Prefabricated self-supporting panels made from larch wood, polystyrene and fir wood make up the interior walling
Natural light travels throughout the home
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Natural light travels throughout the home
The home features an extra large glass feature wall at the front of the building
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The home features an extra large glass feature wall at the front of the building
Natural light takes centerstage over artificial lighting
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Natural light takes centerstage over artificial lighting
A smaller floor-to-ceiling glass feature wall is located at the rear
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A smaller floor-to-ceiling glass feature wall is located at the rear
The home was built above a compact concrete slab using a steel frame structure
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The home was built above a compact concrete slab using a steel frame structure
Casa Nell'orto gets lost in its rural landscape
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Casa Nell'orto gets lost in its rural landscape
The home is elevated above the ground and is supported by a series of short steel pillars
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The home is elevated above the ground and is supported by a series of short steel pillars
A steel staircases provide access to the home
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A steel staircases provide access to the home
A second steel staircases is located at the rear of the home
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A second steel staircases is located at the rear of the home
Simple finishes keep the home fresh and modern
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Simple finishes keep the home fresh and modern
Steel staircases provide access to the home at both ends of the dwelling
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Steel staircases provide access to the home at both ends of the dwelling
Chooks making themselves at home
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Chooks making themselves at home
The home features gorgeous timber flooring throughout
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The home features gorgeous timber flooring throughout
The home is elevated above the ground and is supported by a series of unobtrusive short steel pillars
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The home is elevated above the ground and is supported by a series of unobtrusive short steel pillars
Casa Nell'orto design plans by LDA.iMdA architetti associati
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Casa Nell'orto design plans by LDA.iMdA architetti associati
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Italian architectural studio LDA.iMdA Architetti Associati has recently completed a sustainable compact home that hovers above the ground and leaves a small footprint on its rural landscape. Dubbed Casa Nell'Orto, meaning “House in the Orchard,” the 84 sq m (904 sq ft) dwelling was specifically designed to sit elegantly within a large pre-existing vegetable garden.

“We wanted to fix the aspiration of a client's hobby: to cultivate a vegetable garden, and we made it with a pure external form,” says LDA.iMdA architetti associati. “The aim precedes the practice to put contemporary architecture in fragile territorial context, in order to reactivate new potential relationships.”

Located in the Tuscan town of San Miniato, Casa Nell'Orto is built using a steel frame structure and is elevated above the ground by a series of unobtrusive short steel pillars. Steel staircases provide access to the home at both ends of the dwelling and the external facade has been coated with environmentally-friendly polyolefin sheets, chosen for its durability and excellent solar reflectance.

The home is elevated above the ground and is supported by a series of unobtrusive short steel pillars
The home is elevated above the ground and is supported by a series of unobtrusive short steel pillars

Drawing inspiration from traditional glass-house designs, the home features an extra large glass feature wall at the front of the building and a smaller floor-to-ceiling glass feature wall at the rear. The interior floor-plan is strategically designed to capitalize on the natural light and airflow provided by these glass walls, which supply the home with a good source of ventilation and most of its natural light. An additional handful of small windows are located in the central parts of the home, preventing any dark spots and eliminating the need for artificial lighting during the daylight hours.

The interior design features an open lounge/living area with log fire and lovely views across the surrounding gardens
The interior design features an open lounge/living area with log fire and lovely views across the surrounding gardens

The interior design features an open lounge/living area with log fire and views across the surrounding gardens; a European wall kitchen located in the home's passageway with enough space for a dinning table; hidden bathroom located behind the kitchen area; and rear master bedroom.

The home features gorgeous timber flooring throughout
The home features gorgeous timber flooring throughout

Prefabricated self-supporting panels made from larch wood, polystyrene and fir wood make up the interior walls. The home also features gorgeous timber flooring throughout, which has been treated with a special anti-infiltration water-resistant protective coating; rooftop solar panels for a clean energy supply; and a rainwater collection system.

Source: LDA.iMdA architetti associati

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1 comment
1 comment
Worzel
Hanging storage cabinets or similar on the walls could be a problem. I see nowhere to store anything in this construction, so it's more of a 'summer house' than a home, it would seem.