Bolzano is a municipality in the Trentino-Alto Adige region of northern Italy, with a population of around 110,000. Led by the municipality, a project is underway to construct several contemporary residential buildings on the border between the city and its suburbs. This particular project, one of several in the plan, requires a square layout and timber construction. The area follows an advanced master plan that places car traffic in underground roadways, reserving the ground level for pedestrians and integrating the natural surroundings. This residential development was also carefully designed to align with the master plan.

To leverage the properties of timber, we emphasized a straightforward construction approach that integrates both practical aspects, like forest preservation and CO₂ reduction, and the simplicity found in traditional Japanese architecture, where construction methods themselves form the design. The building incorporates a simple connection system between pillars and beams, extending this method throughout the structure, making the timber framework a key design element. Even areas requiring fireproofing retain wooden finishes to enhance the timber aesthetic. This proposal ranked third among over 60 entries in the competition.