Exterior Cladding in Garden of Quiet Joys | Sapiens

Sapien develops interior and exterior finishes from predominately natural materials with a value on aesthetics, sustainability and functionality. Sapien's Accoya Vertical Cube was used in the Garden of Quiet Joys project, located in Lugano, Switzerland.

Landscape architect, Federico de Molfetta, created the Garden of Quiet Joys, balancing the grandeur of the 1990s villa with the lightness of the surrounding landscape. The challenge was to bring quietness and tranquility to the garden, dividing it into three different areas. To do so, inspiration was drawn from the traditional Japanese philosophy known as shakkei, which translates to "borrowed scenery". "Borrowed scenery" is a landscape design technique where elements from the surrounding environment, such as distant mountains, trees or buildings, are intentionally incorporated into the composition of a garden or outdoor space to enhance its visual depth and harmony.

The project aimed to meet three key requirements. First, an acoustic barrier was created by the pool, doubling as an enclosure with rhythmic relief lines that complement the vertical and horizontal surfaces, extending to clad the sauna and changing room. In the outdoor living area, a canopy with integrated lighting and infrared heating was installed, alongside a handcrafted sideboard, all featuring the same CUBE 40.40 profile. The project concludes with a Zen garden, echoing the curved design elements and offering soundproofing within a natural 'jardin sauvage' setting.

Sapien's Accoya Vertical Cube panels are made of molecular wood and look handcrafted, contrasting the clean lines of the main building. Molecular wood, enhanced by a patented acetylation process using acetic anhydride, offers unparalleled stability, workability, and durability compared to any other wood, making it ideal for both flooring and vertical applications, resistant to dimensional anomalies, ground contact, and requires no maintenance. For natural use of the raw material, the molecular wood was used exclusively in its raw state, for lower maintenance and aesthetics—the oxidation process will lead the lamellas to obtain a silver-grey color.