A House Looking to a Cedar Tree

In contemporary architecture, the relationship between built space and nature represents one of the most significant design challenges. A House Looking to a Cedrus Tree, designed by Cedrus Studio, addresses this theme through a renovation project that transforms a natural element into the core of the living experience.

The project originates from the completion of an unfinished villa, developed around the presence of a large cedar tree. Rather than functioning as a decorative feature, the tree becomes a spatial and symbolic reference: it guides circulation, structures visual connections, and defines the relationships between interior and exterior spaces.

The intervention is based on a critical reinterpretation of the existing structure, which was characterized by dimensional and distributive limitations. The introduction of voids and double-height spaces overcomes these constraints, improving spatial quality and allowing natural light to penetrate deep into the interior. As a result, the living spaces appear more open, dynamic, and responsive to their surroundings.

The relationship with the landscape is reinforced through a system of openings, terraces, and large glazed surfaces that extend the domestic environment outward. The house unfolds as a sequence of spaces in constant dialogue with the exterior, where the garden and the cedar tree become integral parts of everyday life.

Particular attention is given to material selection. The use of handmade brick and natural finishes creates a warm and restrained atmosphere, strengthening the connection to the site and to local building traditions. Textures and colors interact with light and vegetation, establishing a balanced relationship between contemporary design and collective memory.

The project stands out for its measured approach, avoiding excessive formal gestures in favor of an authentic engagement with its context. The house does not impose itself on the landscape but interprets its qualities and transforms them into architectural tools.

A House Looking to a Cedrus Tree ultimately proposes a reflection on contemporary living as a sensitive and conscious experience of place. Architecture becomes a mediating device between human presence and nature, shaping a domestic space in which dialogue with the environment is an essential part of the project.