Lichen Trellis
Enamored by the atmospheric lace lichen shadows cast around this site’s mature oaks, we set out to evoke the essence of those spaces with aluminum and rivets. With help from our enthusiastic contractor, we used a series of metal fins strategically fixed with pop-rivets to create an undulating pattern. The proof of concept, however –even more than the form and beauty of the trellis itself– was in the delicacy of the shadows they cast.
Beginning with its strategic solar orientation and geometry, the Lichen House owes its form to passive thermal tactics –the maximization of daylight and expansive southern views protected by a deep overhanging shade trellis. The undulating metal fin trellis is both a formal reference to the surrounding lichen’s geometry as well as a spatial reference to the filtered dappled light of the lace lichen’s net. It filters the high summer sun and allows solar heat gain in the winter when the sun is low in the sky.
The home’s undulating fin trellis is both a formal reference to the surrounding lichen’s geometry as well as a spatial reference to it –recreating the dappled light of the lace lichen’s net. We developed a regular pattern of aluminum fins and then used the natural flexibility of the material to introduce a series of snap-rivet connections to create the undulating lichen pattern. We laid out trellis sections precisely for the fabricator; though they appeared complex, each section was based on a simple geometric system. While the pattern of rivet connections stayed constant, the overall frame shape varied, thereby compressing, and expanding the density of the pattern along its length.
The deep overhanging shade trellis of the Lichen House maintains the expansive southern views and maximizes daylight inside the house, while regulating the home’s solar exposure. It filters the high summer sun while promoting solar heat gain in the winter when the sun is low in the sky. Inspired by the breathable filter of the lichen’s net, the trellis mitigates the exterior effects on a south-facing unconditioned hallway space. Please contact us for more detailed information.
