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Wood and steel are the materials chosen for the industrial production of a unique housing module, designed to be easily aggregated. This module can connect with others to form beam-walls suspended in space, expanding freely to create complex, flexible, and lightweight structures. City Trees represents a new configuration of urban living, where the large voids between building masses become urban forests and hanging gardens. These green spaces, integrated into the architectural system, provide privacy, improve the microclimate, and ensure direct contact with nature at every level.
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The basic housing module has a surface area of 25 m² and can be combined to form units of 50 or 75 m², distributed across four levels. The configurations can be double, triple, or quadruple. Some modules are intentionally left empty to become garden-terraces, giving rise to maxi-beams that rise to various heights and intersect through a system of staircases and walkways, also connected to underground parking areas. On the ground floor, neighborhood social services are located — from daycare centers to coworking spaces — while the upper levels, primarily intended for housing, can accommodate shared communal facilities.
The morphology of trees — with trunks, branches, flowers, fruits, and vascular systems — inspires the cellular structure of City Trees. Trunks serve as vertical structural and distribution elements, while branches represent the residential units. This creates a true urban forest, mainly built from wood, with trees of varying heights that regulate the microclimate. Structural modularity also applies to types and components: windows, doors, balconies, closets, and beds are designed as adaptable modular elements. Systems are efficiently integrated: plumbing runs beneath the floor within the laminated beam cavity, while electrical wiring is placed in the suspended ceiling. Each 25 m² module is energy self-sufficient, with rooftop solar panels meeting an average demand of 3.8 kW.
Main Features
• Modular structure in wood and steel
Basic module of 25 m², aggregable into units of 50 or 75 m², distributed over four levels.
• Suspended construction system
Modules form lightweight, flexible beam-walls capable of expanding in space and creating complex configurations.
• Integrated public and residential spaces
o Ground floor: social services (daycare, coworking, etc.)
o Upper floors: residential units and shared communal services
• Customizable modular elements
Windows, doors, balconies, furnishings, and systems designed to adapt to various sizes.
• Streamlined systems
• Energy autonomy
Each module is self-sufficient thanks to photovoltaic panels (average demand: 3.8 kW). Strengths
• Biological inspiration
The morphology of trees inspires the urban structure:
- Trunks = load-bearing elements
- Branches = living cells
• Integration of greenery
Hanging gardens, green terraces, and trees at various heights improve the microclimate, offer privacy, and provide a connection to nature at every level.
• Flexibility and adaptability
Modular configurations allow for vertical and horizontal expansion, adapting to different urban contexts.
• Environmental and social sustainability
- Eco-friendly materials
-Reduced ecological footprint
- Spaces for social interaction integrated into daily living
• New urban landscape
The voids between building masses become green lungs, creating new open and multifunctional architectural scenarios.
The result is a complete fusion between architecture and nature: wherever one lives within the complex, they are always surrounded by greenery, which is not just a decorative element but an integral part of the design and the living experience. The same modular and flexible system also allows for the creation of larger voids, giving rise to new open urban landscapes capable of meeting the needs for social interaction, urban breathing space, and environmental sustainability.
Toti Semerano founded the Architecture Laboratory in Lecce in 2005, a space for experimental design open to dialogue across disciplines, scales, and diverse sensibilities. The Laboratory develops projects ranging from the restoration of ancient farmhouses and the adaptive reuse of traditional buildings with a contemporary approach, to the regeneration of existing urban fabric, integrated technological innovation, sacred spaces, and art venues. Central to its approach is the exchange of diverse experiences and knowledge. The Laboratory also serves as a training and knowledge-sharing hub for the community and territory. Recent awards include the Atelier Marco Bagnoli Eu Mies Awards 2019 (selected), Montebelluna Residences winner of "The Plan Award 2021" in the Housing category, 2023 Best Small Architecture Firms Architizer, Landscape Leuca-Punta Meliso winner of The Plan Award 2021, Honorable Mention Architecture Masterprize 2021, and Winner of Rethinking the Future 2024.
