Roccascalegna Observatory House Competition

Roccascalegna Observatory House

Competition

Perched on the edge of a prominent outcropping in southern Italy, a 16th century fortress stands decisively between the earth and sky. A series of living quarters cascades down the gentle slope of the outcropping – luminous exoskeletal bodies lifted above the ground. The space hovers in the branches, amplifying the tension between Uranus and Gaea. From within, the architecture focuses on the sky, encouraging the inhabitant to climb higher, look further, and extend their existence into the worlds beyond.