Dornob | Design Ideas Daily

Pitched-Roof ’60s House Transformed with Timber Skin

Posted: 24 Aug 2013 10:00 AM PDT

Modern Timber Skin Renovation 1

The shell of a pitched-roof 1960s home in the Italian Dolomites is dramatically altered by an angular, slatted timber skin in this unusual modern addition by Plasma Studio. While the front of the home still resembles its traditional neighbors, the back and sides are wrapped in a faceted structure that creates new dimensions, aids air circulation and gives the home a dynamic look.

Modern Timber Skin Renovation 2

Plasma Studio was charged with providing Residence Alma, a 1960s Tyrolean guest house with six holiday apartments, with a new central service core. Lead architect Ulla Hell, who was looking for a home for her own family, recognized an opportunity in the underutilized pitched roof. This unused space became the basis of a private residence built right into and on top of the existing structure, including an architectural office and reception space.

Modern Timber Skin Renovation 3

Modern Timber Skin Renovation 5

The building is set into the hillside, so the upper floors open onto garden space in the back, beneath the canopies created by the timber frame. The designers employed parametric modeling software to create the skin, opening it up in places to provide 360-degree views of the sky and surrounding mountains.

Modern Timber Skin Renovation 4

With Paramount Residence, Plasma Studio mimics an effect they already carried out just down the hill at the Strata Hotel. The slatted skin provides shade and visual interest, while paying tribute to the natural geometry of the landscape.