The project presented by the Santa Marta Student Center in collaboration with the Mazzanti Team aims to create an architectural space that deeply integrates with the site, appropriating the environment and dissolving among the trees, recognizing the existing vegetation.
The space's roof was designed to merge with the landscaping, resulting in an environment reminiscent of a grove. In this concept, the architecture not only accompanies but also enhances the natural characteristics of the terrain.
This space was conceived as a place for meeting and interaction, where activities such as resting, dialogue, and playing are presented as complementary methods of learning. Students have the opportunity to explore the outdoor environment in various ways, whether relaxing, swinging, climbing, lying down, or jumping, all immersed in nature.
To support the dynamics of the location, sound and interaction devices were incorporated, which serve both to host events and to create ambient sound and act as a communication channel between students, reinforcing the participatory nature of the project.
The proposal includes a flexible structure, designed to adapt to the existing trees and operate as a network capable of growing and adjusting to the specific conditions of the site. Shade, considered an essential meeting point in the city, gave rise to a space that is simultaneously airy, shaded, and pleasant.
The Student Center organizes various zones designated for studying, meetings, relaxation, meals, and leisure. Furthermore, it incorporates a module containing restrooms and a cafeteria, establishing itself as the main convergence point for the entire student community.
The Treinta y Nueve Árboles house project, designed by Grizzo Studio, is located in the Karilo forest on a richly vegetated plot. Here, sunlight filtering through the canopies of dozens of trees illuminates the ground covered with climbing plants. The main objective of the project was to preserve this natural state, so the house is designed to harmonize with its surroundings, not trying to dominate them, but to integrate and intertwine with the trees.
Thus, the building transforms into an atrium for contemplating nature, guiding visitors into the forest so they can experience its atmosphere. The residential complex offers two ways to explore the forest: panoramic, which passes through the thicket both from inside and outside, and ascending, achieved via glass walkways connecting different levels. These paths allow one to understand the structure of the forest by tracing it from the roots to the treetops.
Since this is a summer retreat house, the experience of staying in the project is realized through two routes. The first runs inside the building: starting from a semi-submerged vestibule, the middle levels lead to the entire program of the house, concluding at a terrace at the level of the tree canopy. The second route invites a walk around the perimeter, first crossing the inner courtyard and the semi-open area with a fireplace at the root level, and then reaching the garden, pool, and veranda of the house.
The choice of materials for the project was made so that they would not attract excessive attention, but rather coexist with nature, allowing vegetation and the passage of time to transform and colonize the structure.
The Yanlord Arcadia project was developed on the premise of being a 'Garden within Gardens,' using a succession of thematic scenarios to establish continuous communication between natural elements, architectural structure, and residents' routine.
As an introduction to the community environment, the Lacy Steps project functions as a link connecting the main lobby, residential towers, and the social club. This transit area has been transformed into an inviting place for social gatherings.
