A relatively small and modest structure has appeared among the pine forest on a secluded spot of the Mediterranean Coast of Italy. It is Genoa-based architect Onur Teke’s latest offering, a simple but striking retreat for a private client.
The project is titled MU50 – standing for Modular Unit 50 and hinting at the way this design works. The structure may be used in this case as a holiday home, but its small-scale, modular, off-grid nature means it can be adaptable to a wide variety of sites – and even, potentially, uses. What’s more, it is also recyclable.
‘A simple act of repeating and combining a small number of relatively simple building elements can produce a wide variety of spaces fit for different uses – from a small meditation room to a dwelling,’ says Teke.
‘Through its simplicity, flexibility and choice of materials, this structure is intended to bring beauty to the users’ daily lives; to allow them to incorporate it in their quotidian landscape and to connect with the surrounding nature reducing at most its carbon footprint,’ explains Teke.
The house consists of two untreated Larch structural timber frames. Glass wraps around the structure to open up the interior to views and nature, but manually operated timber shades protect privacy and the interiors from harsh sunlight when needed. The spaces inside are clean and minimalist.
The project’s environmental impact is reduced by maximum use of natural lighting and ventilation, photovoltaic panels on the roof and a ground source heat pump. Clever use of eco-friendly technologies, a low tech approach and the modular system developed through it, mean this little getaway can be enjoyed guilt free. §
