A wooden house well placed in the hills of Veneto
In the hills of eastern Lessinia, in the province of Vicenza, we built a wooden house that is well integrated into its surroundings, designed as a passive building on three levels. South facade with patio The design of a wooden house well integrated into the environment The property has three floors: the ground floor houses the living area, the first floor is dedicated to the sleeping area, and the basement houses the technical room, a bathroom and other service spaces. The project has been approved by the municipality and aims to ensure a wooden house that fits well into the environment, complying with current regulations in rural and hilly areas. We designed a wooden building that recalls traditional local architecture, with Vicenza-style windows, a gabled roof with regular overhangs, a regular floor plan, and traditional plaster finishes. Thus, we achieved a wooden house that fits well into its surroundings, following criteria of simplicity and formal cleanliness. This house is designed to live in harmony with the changing seasons, immersed in the beautiful foothills of the Alps, while respecting the natural environment. The distribution of space in a well-integrated wooden house in the environment The ground floor plan reflects contemporary living, with a large and inviting kitchen, an open space with TV, and a compliant guest bathroom. A large lift-and-slide window offers stunning views of the surrounding landscape. The first floor includes three rooms with bathrooms. Each room has wardrobe space and large beds, offering lovely views of the hills. The basement includes technical rooms and spaces dedicated to leisure and wellness. An NZEB building The project was conceived as a NZEB (Nearly Zero Energy Building) building. This was made possible through a series of interventions that ensure energy independence, including: Reduction of consumption through high thermal insulation. Self-production of electricity through a rich installation of photovoltaic systems. Energy storage using storage battery systems. The systems use only electricity to provide summer and winter air conditioning through heat pumps, with no need for connection to natural gas. A green building During its life cycle, this property emits no carbon, helping to improve the planet’s climate. The vertical load-bearing structure is made of three-layer X-Lam panels, while the floors are supported by glulam beams. The fir bead floors are completed with cross planking in fir planking. Thanks to the PEFC-certified wood structure, we ensure that the material used comes from sustainable forest management, promoting replanting initiatives and removing carbon from the atmosphere. Thermal insulation The property has a generous 20 cm of rock wool thermal insulation (external coat), ensuring excellent insulation in both summer and winter. Controlled Mechanical Ventilation In this well-integrated wooden house, each room is equipped with an automated air exchange system, known as VMC (Controlled Mechanical Ventilation). This system ensures optimal air exchange, dealing with excess humidity while ensuring recovery of the heat contained in the expelled air. Thanks to this technology, about 90 percent of the heat in the replacement air can be reused. Kilometer Zero House: a wooden house well embedded in the environment Following international Passivhaus guidelines, the materials and suppliers used in construction are local. This choice reduces gray energy during construction of the building and improves traceability of supplies, ensuring more effective and timely after-sales service. Structure in X Lam X Lam, conceived in the late 1990s by a group of Austrian manufacturers, is an innovative material that makes it possible to create both contemporary and classical architecture with reduced ecological impact. The X Lam structure, while having a similar appearance to traditional masonry, offers numerous advantages: Increased speed of construction Low power consumption Very high seismic resistance Foundations The house has an unreinforced concrete lean-to foundation, with a concrete slab (30 cm thick) cast using formwork, according to the project specifications and with proper iron reinforcement. Insulation Against Ground At ground level, an insulating layer flanked by a Foamcem lightened screed was made to house the systems. Vertical Structures The perimeter load-bearing walls are made of X Lam, manufactured by Artuso Legnami, which guarantees supply and installation of prefabricated walls of the standard type (100 mm thick), complete with steel fasteners. X Lam load-bearing walls are composed, from the inside out, as follows: Double sheet of 12.5-mm gypsum board (water-repellent gypsum board will be used for walls facing bathrooms). 50-mm cavity for plant passage, insulated with 50-mm rock wool, with 5×4-cm fir laths. 3-layer X Lam load-bearing wall, thickness of 100 mm (based on structural calculations). Rock wool insulation coat of 200 mm, with density greater than 135 kg/m³ and thermal conductivity of λ = 0.037 W/mK. Exterior finish with 5 mm mineral plaster, equipped with plaster carrier mesh and siloxane finish. Load-bearing Interior Walls in X Lam The load-bearing interior walls are made of X Lam and consist of: Double sheet of 12.5 mm plasterboard (for walls facing bathrooms, water-repellent plasterboard is used); 50 mm cavity for the passage of equipment, insulated with 50 mm rock wool, with 5×4 cm fir lath (or thicker for larger diameter pipes); Load-bearing wall made of X Lam, thickness of 100 mm in 3 layers (according to structural calculations); Last sheet of 12.5 mm gypsum board (again, if facing bathroom, water-repellent gypsum board is used). Interior Non-Bearing Plasterboard Walls Non-bearing interior walls are composed of: Double sheet of 12.5-mm gypsum board (water-repellent gypsum board for facing bathrooms); Metal frame of 75 mm (100 mm for bathrooms or where larger diameter pipes are present); Rock wool mattress pad; Last sheet of 12.5 mm plasterboard (water-repellent plasterboard where needed). Roof The roof supporting structure is made of pre-painted glued laminated timber beams, available in clear, bleached, natural or stained colors. It includes: 20-mm wooden bead; Planking inclined at 45° by 25 mm; Vapor barrier; Rockwool Hardrock type rockwool insulation 200 mm, high density, specifically for roofs; Battens and counter-battens for ventilation; Terracotta roof tiles from Laterizi San Marco, available in various colors. Photovoltaic System The photovoltaic system has a capacity of 6.5
Compact single-story linear three-room unit
We present a compact single-story linear three-room unit project designed to meet the needs of a family of four. This wooden dwelling is designed to live in harmony with nature, offering maximum comfort and minimizing waste, with a view to optimizing available resources. The building is designed following criteria of compositional simplicity, presenting a two-pitch building with a rectangular floor plan. A three-room house without wasting space This three-room wooden house with linear development features a spacious 36-square-meter veranda, equipped with sunshades, that provides convenient access to the outdoors, allowing you to enjoy the full benefits of a pleasant garden. In the veranda area, the finishes are larch, which include a non-slip deck and a façade clad with ventilated battens, also made of larch. The veranda has a large sliding lift-and-slide sash window, with a width of more than 4 meters, which provides brightness and a beautiful view of the garden. The linear and compact single-story three-room unit represents an innovative living solution designed to maximize space efficiency. With its linear and optimized floor plan, this unit offers an interior distribution designed to ensure comfort and functionality. A veranda with sliding sash windows contributes to the brightness and openness of the rooms, allowing for panoramic views and pleasant natural lighting. The building is designed following criteria of formal simplicity and fits harmoniously into the surrounding landscape. The Interior The interior features an elegant bleached wood ceiling, which adds volume and brightness to the spaces. To enhance the atmosphere, a recessed LED strip was included for indirect lighting, creating an atmospheric effect in all rooms. The living area is designed for cheerful cooking with a countertop that overlooks the garden and is heavy for entertaining guests by offering a view of the surrounding garden through a large sliding panel window. The Plant This 120-square-meter property was designed for a young couple in the picturesque Venetian hinterland, immersed in the flourishing Venetian countryside. The floor plan is developed along a central circulation axis that runs the entire length of the building, which is about 18 meters, thus ensuring a functional and harmonious distribution of interior spaces. The development in plant The house is designed with functionality in mind, optimizing a contained space to accommodate: Three rooms Two bathrooms Living room with open kitchen Walk-in closet Laundry Service attic, where the mechanical ventilation system, a water tank and other technological equipment are located. This arrangement enhances space efficiency, providing comfort and convenience for daily living. The kitchen is equipped with a counter and it is possible to cook while admiring the view through a large window with sliding doors. The property sits on a flat lot in a semi-agricultural area and also has an outdoor pergola with a patio for outdoor dining while enjoying the warm weather. Endowments The property is equipped with radiant floors to ensure the benefit of a radiative surface that works in both summer and winter thanks to the heat produced by a heat pump powered by photovoltaics. Mechanical Ventilation The air exchange in the rooms is provided by a controlled mechanical ventilation system that brings in renewed air but preheated by the outgoing air with a heat recovery system. A single-story wooden house with a rectangular shape: A Passive House This is a passive house with an expected consumption of only 10 kWh per square meter per year. Thanks to efficient energy management, it is possible to reduce heating and summer air conditioning expenses to zero. The building is equipped with excellent mineral wool thermal insulation, applied to both the roof and walls. This mineral-based material boasts high insulation properties, is stable over time, and is not derived from petroleum, contributing to a comfortable and sustainable indoor environment. The roof of a one-story wooden house The roof beams and beading are bleached, which allows for lower electricity consumption and brighter rooms. The roof is equipped with a natural ventilation system that eliminates the risk of moisture buildup in winter and reduces roof heat in summer.