A Room Around A Tree

The project was commissioned by a client who wanted flexible space for their growing family whilst creating an acoustic and visual screen from neighbouring buildings that overlook the site. The design of the scheme is conceived as an expansive roof that weaves between the branches of the woodland setting and seamlessly transitions between inside space and sheltered outdoor areas. The roof is crafted from a lattice of engineered timber beams and supported on a forest of thin steel columns that delicately meet the ground. The layout and structure are carefully considered to safeguard tree roots and the use of a floating foundation ring beam and mini-piled foundations ensures the building footprint makes only a minimal impact on the natural setting. The roof grid unifies the scheme under a single architectural device and is clad with custom spray finished corrugated steel panels. Hovering over the landscape the roof cohabits with the canopy of the cedar and seeks to create a balance between nature and building. Internally, a palette of expressive materials along with the deep beams of the roof create depth and drama, whilst the black stained timber is intended to allow the colours of the garden to come to the foreground. A curved structural glazed façade creates a minimal separation between inside and outside allowing the internal spaces to benefit from the lush garden setting. Punctuating the internal space is a series of handcrafted bespoke elements designed and built by Tikari Works. These elements include an oak kitchen, concrete cast sink pedestal, and a movable storage unit designed to allow for flexible layouts and room reconfiguration.