The Essence Lies in the Wood

By Editorial Staff - 1 April 2025

In the ancient settlement of Tregnago, a small town to the northeast of Verona, within the Lessinia and Val d’Illasi mountain districts, Larun House is a project that pushes the boundaries of wood’s structural capabilities and, in so doing, turns this natural material into the undisputed protagonist of the entire home. Designed by architects Federico Zarattini and Edoardo Giancola from zarcola architetti, the house was built using a modular construction system and fits seamlessly between two existing homes in a private courtyard.

L’essenza è nel legno

Its essence lies in its two exposed façades, each crafted with a distinctly different style and material palette. The main façade, facing the courtyard, draws inspiration from the vernacular architecture of Lessinia. It is built using vertically laid Prun stone, a dry-stone construction technique developed by Bavarian-Germanic populations. In contrast, the opposite façade is glass, framed by Austrian larch, creating an easy dialogue between interior and exterior, between architecture and nature. This large glass façade – along with the windows – owes much to the expertise of Falegnameria Aresi, whose contribution was essential to the project. For the glass façade and windows, the company installed its Minimal 80 model, while for the entrance, it developed a bespoke version of Essenziale 80, integrating the Minimal 68 window within the door panel and incorporating concealed fixtures for a smooth finish.

L’essenza è nel legno

The rhythm of the glass façade was specifically designed to complement the spatial organization and floor plan of the home. On the ground floor, expansive glazing allows natural light to flood the living area, creating direct contact with the private garden. Here, the design relies on a repetitive pattern of fixed glass panels and full-height French doors, flush with the building’s exterior. The upper floor echoes this effect, with the bedroom opening visually onto the surrounding greenery. However, unlike the level below, the glass screen projects from the façade, but this merely reinforces the connection between interior and landscape.

To the side, the staircase adds vertical thrust to the façade, complementing the full-height fixed glass panel. This sense of verticality is also experienced from within because, as one ascends or descends the steps, the nature outside reveals itself through a narrow opening framed in wood. The same effect was intentionally repeated using the doors and windows in both the living area and bedroom. Crafted from naturally finished wood and hand-brushed with oil, these elements are another piece in the ceaseless dialogue between architecture and landscape. Across both floors, the rhythm remains tight, preserving the minimum width necessary to allow passage – even if only through a single leaf of the double French doors. All of this, along with the distinctive floor plan, pushed the structural capabilities of wood to its very limits.