Studio Loci Landscape Architects

 

Within the framework of the restoration project at Villa Le Val du Puy, a series of bespoke outdoor furniture ranges have been commissioned to respond to the context of the site employing a fusion of art and architecture.

Using steel rod, stone and textile an elegantly stylised outdoor dining suite is currently being prototyped. The materials include a table top of Jurassic Limestone found in the bed rock of Vence and cut on the limit of its structural stability to a produce an ultra thin profile over 3m in length. All trades are carried out by local artisans.

Conceptual work for a proposed tree house for a project in Southern France.

The treehouse is designed to sit within the ‘Forest Garden’ phase of an ‘art deco’ restoration project set within the Alps Maritime outside the historical town of Venice. 

Inspiration came from nesting forms found in nature. Suspended 11m above the ground and set amongst the canopies of the local evergreen oak and coastal pine, views open up to the sea and surrounding hills.  

Perched on four slender steel columns the ovoid structure and spiral staircase use Western Red Cedar as the main component material. The open platform interlocks with the surrounding tree trunks. External finish uses an ancient Japanese technique called ‘Shou-sugi-ban’, providing a charred and grained patina that merges with the surrounding forest. In contrast self finished cedar is used to define the internal space. The external surfaces of the structure are dressed using carbon fibre rods to provide a randomised fragmentation of the silhouetted form.

An interesting article on the recent break through in genetic science. Scientists have improved a plants most important biological process photosynthesis. It has increased yield in an experimental crop by 15%. This could be an important step for supporting a growing world population.

 

The Granite 'Source' Stone being worked on by stone masons, before getting installed at the Studio's latest project.

This will be the 'Source' to a water feature that consists of a number of stepped rills and a central brimming pond built from granite cider press rings found on site.

The granite for the Source Stone was locally sourced. The key issue was matching it with the existing cider press rings. In order to do so the face of the source stone has been worked to create a natural finish by being rough punched using a hammer and bolster and then wire brushed.