GAAGA sets Bosbad in Eindhoven’s tree-rich park
Bosbad – Forest Bath by Delft-based studio GAAGA is a voided residential building located in Eindhoven’s ‘Bosrijk’ park in the Netherlands. The project draws on the Japanese Shinrinyoku art, a form of meditation that encourages a connection with nature. It fuses modern living areas with the surrounding greenery. The design explores how industrial techniques interact with organic aesthetics. The construction follows sustainability principles and uses natural materials in the design. It fosters a connection between the users, architecture and the forested environment.
Azobe columns that can be reused as load-bearing tree trunks wood The main frame is composed of trees, which softens the rational design. It also gives the landscape a more natural appearance. The rectangle building, situated on a gently sloped terrain, has green open spaces which form walking routes between the park and the built volume. The building’s heart is a spacious internal passage that overlooks the landscape. Rainwater is flowing into a wadi from a brook on the ground floor, which is covered with ferns. Within the structure, flowering climbers filter the sunlight and several bridges lead to the apartments’ front doors.
All images courtesy GAAGA
The trunks of real trees can be used as structural supports
The exterior is seamlessly integrated into the forest due to the continuous balconies that are supported by a series tree trunk columns. This blurs the lines between the built form and the natural world. Real tree trunks rise as structural supports while the facade’s reclaimed wood cladding adds to the immersive experience. Balconies, colonnades and other architectural elements define the private and public areas of the building.
GAAGA for Bosbad studio adopts a circular and adaptive design based on John Habraken’s concept of ‘Open Building’, deviating from the traditional linear building process. This adaptability and circular approach ensures the building can change to meet changing needs, while its design highlights sustainable features including energy efficiency. This project, with its circular design principles as well innovative materials and a deep connection to nature, aims to shift building practices towards eco-conscious ones.
A series of columns made from tree trunks blurs the line between nature and built form
The project combines modern living areas with surrounding greenery
Green open spaces create walking routes between the park and the built volume
