CASA BGS in Wood Works a new Braun book

Wood is nature’s most remarkable resource, embedded in the history, culture and life of humans worldwide. For the architecture world it is ingenious: malleable and at the same time resilient, fully recyclable and environmentally friendly as it reduces greenhouse gases, universally applicable and locally available. Today, new processing technologies extend the spectrum of its possible applications and the combinability with other building materials, enabling innovative technical and design solutions. In short, anything is possible when it comes to timber, whatever designers conceive can be realized. The traditional building material has become ultra-contemporary and increasingly cutting-edge, offering exciting possibilities for architectural design.

Casa BGS consists of two small cabins connected by a living area in the middle of the Tapalpa forest. Each cabin consists of a simple two-story stone building with several openings. The stone composition is demarcated with Douglas fir framing each door and window, resulting in a pattern reminiscent of Mondrian’s simplest paintings. The bath is conceived as a space to be inhabited instead of just being utilitarian. The black granite floor contrasts the metallic bathtub. The shower is located outside the stone cabin within a wooden enclosure and topped by a glass skylight that allows for a view of the surrounding pine forest. The whole bath area is clad in wood, including the ceiling which consists of two layers functioning as support of the hardwood floor of the second sleeping area. The lighting design comprises direct installations above the wooden surfaces, as well as chandeliers made of hanging fabric cables. All the plumbing is exposed in copper and bronze to express a sense of sculptural quality.