“Secret Garden in the Nachala”
Conceived as an intimate retreat, this project reimagines a modest outdoor space as a gathering point for private leisure, community and quiet contemplation. I designed and hand-crafted a series of bespoke outdoor furniture pieces from sourced pine, eucalyptus, and spruce, allowing the natural textures and tonalities of the woods to guide the aesthetic language.

At its center rests an elegant bench, organically formed around the curve of a bent tree trunk. Viewed from a distance, the composition of bench and tree evokes the silhouette of a small sailboat, blurring the boundary between functional object and poetic gesture.

Alongside I built a wooden tipi — a playful yet meditative structure that offers a space for connection, seclusion, and collective experience. In time, the installation will be enveloped by climbing vines and seasonal blossoms, merging architecture with nature and transforming the site into a living, evolving artwork. In front of the tipi rests a fire circle with an aged metal pit, creating a communal hearth for warmth, conversation, and gathering.