Farmhouse incorporates 10-meter-tall tree into living room

A 10-meter-tall ficus tree grows inside the living room of this farmhouse in Italy, following renovation and expansion led by studio Carlo Ratti Associati and architect Italo Rota . Located in the interior of Parma, the house was named The Greenery – a combination of the words " green" and " granary" – and aims to blur the boundaries between the natural and artificial worlds , which made the team turn to the large ficus tree, called Alma, which was installed between the home's new living area and open-plan kitchen.

"The 20th century Italian architect Carlo Scarpa once said, 'between a tree and a house, choose the tree,'" commented CRA founder Carlo Ratti . "While I agree with your thinking, I think we can go a step further and put the two together ," he explained. Furthermore, the windows covered by perforated brick walls create a dappled pattern of light and shadow similar to that of the tree. "Light enters the space through the perforated brick wall, corten steel stairs and tree branches", added Andrea Cassi , member of the CRA. "In doing so, it blends into the architectural details of the house and leaves subtle shadows around it." In front of the farmhouse is a work space located in the old barn. There, aged steel details add a rustic touch and a stretchy hammock-like floor doubles as an area for relaxing and reading. The architects' goal of incorporating nature into the project is also reflected in some of the material choices, such as the resin floor filled with earth and orange peels . The landscaping surrounding the residence was designed by Paolo Pejrone and Alberto Fusari and celebrates the area's biodiversity.