The path in the woods
The path in the woods, enhancement of the archaeological site "Su forru de is Sinzurreddus"
The project site is immersed in a forest ecosystem of extraordinary integrity, where the dense holm oak woods of Monte Arci maintain a millennial balance alongside obsidian outcrops and prehistoric archaeological sites. The landscape is not mere backdrop but a living organism of sounds, scents, and anthropic stratifications that the project aims to reveal with delicacy. The architectures, embedded in the Bosco da Fiaba at Pau, act as micro-grafts into the landscape, evoking an archaic and fantastical imagery while forging connections between past and present. Animal paws, ears, and eyes—as objets trouvés—emerge along the path amid shrubs and trees, guiding visitors through thresholds, passages, lights, and shadows.
The project stems from a thorough site study and deep historical analysis, with the goal of creating conditions for experiential enjoyment of the site. It identifies and "re-signifies" the existing path through a series of modular architectural devices that serve as filters between visitor and forest. The chosen language is minimalist. Materials are limited to two: local basalt stone and Corten steel.
As sentinels along the path, the architectural devices mark distinct real and symbolic stages: the spring, the sanctuary, the cliff, the rockfall, the threshold in the dry-stone wall. Forms evoke the imagery of nocturnal raptors inhabiting the Bosco da Fiaba:
+Near the provincial road, the trail entrance is defined by a dry-laid basalt cobble pavement and a family of six totems, nearly suspended and detached from the ground. Variously aggregated, these elements create an articulated geometry that eases into the journey. Holes in the sheet metal, summit eyes, and ears transform informative devices into silent, vigilant presences.
+Thresholds mark gaps in dry-stone walls and define rest areas, adapting as seats or frames for the backdrop.
+The trail has been refurbished using a granite quarry mix from regional decommissioned quarries' waste, ensuring natural drainage and perfect chromatic integration with the forest soil.
The intervention follows the principle of total reversibilità. Every totem and threshold is fixed to the ground via screw anchors, plates, and stone ballast housed in the soil, making each element fully removable at end-of-life without permanent traces.
Corten steel, treated to stabilize oxidation, and split basalt—or wire-sawn for monolithic seats—ensure near-zero maintenance and enduring resistance to weathering. The project gently interrogates the site as a tool for unveiling knowledge, connecting the deep time of history and archaeology with the present.
