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Preistoriche Green Lodge
By : Alberto Apostoli, Studio Apostoli
GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN – 17th edition
Discipline : Architecture
Categories : Special Award / Architecture + Wood : Silver Certification
Categories : Commercial Building / Hotel & Resort : Gold Certification
A concept of ecological hospitality, fully respecting the territory and its pre-existences: the new Green Lodges of the Terme Preistoriche Resort & Spa complex in Montegrotto Terme (PD), designed by Studio Apostoli, were created to be a manifesto of zero-emission wellness hospitality. They count seven suites set in four wooden stilted volumes, which are connected by a raised system of ramps, walkways and accessible terraces, and include a restored historic villa.160 micropiles support the new buildings and outdoor spaces to respect the roots of the centuries-old trees a precise mapping was made before drawing any design assumptions.
“The first move was to figure out where to place the lodges, without cutting down the trees that dotted the lot, rather integrating them directly into the buildings. The lodges are therefore shaped on the morphology of the land and are ‘hollowed out’ by the trunks, visible inside them thanks to glazed systems,” says the architect Apostoli.
Thus, nature modulates the architecture and suggests its sustainable vocation: in addition to their particular location and dialogue with the greenery, the lodges are wrapped in larch lath cladding, made through a construction system of wood and environmentally friendly materials, and equipped with a heating system fed directly with thermal water. Their CO2 emission of 0 is one of the main pieces of their wellness-oriented concept, which extends from attention to the environment to the individual, in the full holistic philosophy pursued by Studio Apostoli. Indeed, inside the suites – each in a different hue, according to a palette designed to instill relaxation and harmony – guests can experience a stay in contact with the surrounding park, both through the large windows and the pertinent terraces, and thanks to the interior patios, which preserve the centuries-old trees.
“The slogan of this destination is ‘make room for nature,’ and it becomes a true embrace of vegetation, to give life to an oasis of peace, a hymn to our land, its rhythms, colors, sounds,”
Each lodge ranges from 35 to 80 square meters, on single or double levels, with warm industrial-grade parquet flooring – the result of discarded tiles – that pursues the logic of limiting environmental impact. The furnishings are made of wood, upholstery and curtains made from environmentally sustainable yarns, and the wallpapers offer botanical scenery and are made on eco-friendly, non-woven covers composed of cellulose from FSC crops.
“We paid meticulous attention to the selection of materials or finishes so that the Green Lodges would be consistent in every detail. The complex becomes Net Zero but that’s not all: two of the ‘little lodges’ are barrier-free, fully accessible, designed to ensure maximum ease of use by any type of user,” reports architect Apostoli, whose firm coordinated the construction phases, which lasted only six months.
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