Location: Rome, Trastevere
Ground floor area: 250 m²
First floor area: 35 m²
Patio: 35 m²
Terrace: 50 m²
Vertical development: 3 Levels (stand-alone building)
The space was created from what remained of an old stable, over 8 meters high, with large truss roofs and a span of about 12 meters. The inspiration that guided the architects came from a childhood fantasy: the treehouse. The idea was realized on-site, crafting an elevated structure: a metaphor for the small house built by nailing together pieces of iron and wood.
The primary goal was to enhance and make the most of the large main space, designated for the living room, without taking space away from the master bedroom. Central to the design was the study of the connection between this elevated structure and the ground floor. The approach chosen was a gradual journey toward the heart of the house, conceived as an architectural promenade.
The interior, designed by the MDAA studio, features a roof with large trusses and a maximum height of twelve meters. A small open internal garden punctuates the spaces and introduces, on the opposite side, a structure suited to house the dining area, kitchen, and service space.
The large ground floor is dedicated to a living area with contemporary furnishings in predominantly white, harmonizing with the warm and welcoming atmosphere of what was once an old stable.
A large wall-mounted bookshelf contrasts with the arches on the opposite side, while the neutral tones of the flooring soften the integration of typically industrial materials and introduce the design choice for the sleeping area. The latter defines the entire project, envisioned as a sort of treehouse, a cozy refuge but also an easy passageway to the rest of the house.
The sleeping area is placed high up, right under the roof beams, without the pretensions of high-tech architecture but rather with the idea of an uncertain, experimental geometry, almost slightly deformed, evoking those treehouses we tried to build as children. The walls recall the typical iron structures of those somewhat improvised constructions.
Even the staircase leading to the “treehouse,” and thus to the sleeping area, fits perfectly within a typically industrial design, simple and almost rough from an aesthetic point of view. Without any decorative elements, the staircase connects the living area to the more secluded sleeping area. Large floor-to-ceiling windows open onto the small internal garden, enhancing its presence inside. This opening softens the compact effect of the suspended volume that contains the sleeping area, allowing natural light to flood the open space, adapting to the warmth and tones of the materials and furnishings.
The Tree House not only boasts the prestige of an important architectural conversion but also the unique feature of being located in the heart of Trastevere, Rome. Until the 1900s, this neighborhood, now the heart of the Eternal City, still housed stables and spaces designed for carriages and horses—voluminous spaces, especially in height, that have been redesigned as a residence.
From a design perspective, the uniqueness of the Tree House lies in the division of space into a large living area on the ground floor and a second volume designed as a sort of ‘suspended nest,’ reminiscent of a childhood treehouse, from which it takes its name, and intended for the sleeping area.
