Swiss firm Daluz Gonzalez Architekten has set a nest-like terrace into the roof of an angular house it has completed in a forest near Basel, Switzerland (+ slideshow).

The Zurich studio, which is led by Juan González and Rubén Daluz, was asked to design the home for a family of five with a keen interest in nature. They call it Casa Forest.

The clients wanted to make the most of their scenic plot, which is bordered to the east and south by deciduous trees.
The architects responded by designing a faceted form, to create an assortment of views facing the woods. They also created a generous roof terrace.

"Breathtaking views into the dense, deep-green foliage in the summer and the leafless and airy branch structure in the winter were a decisive factor in calibrating the daylight and arranging the spaces in this home," said González and Daluz.
Related story: Slabs of concrete frame glass walls of house near a Swiss lake by MLZD

"The wishes and the spatial programme envisaged by a family of five nature enthusiasts and art lovers could thus be strategically integrated into a compact crystalline sculpture ? utilising the plot right to the boundary line."

The crystalline form is clad with dark, mottled ceramic panels, intended to help the building harmonise with its natural surroundings.
JM Architecture applied a similar technique to another house in the Swiss Alps, which is enveloped in mottled grey tiles that match the tones found i...