As an ode to the disappearing darkness of the Black Forest, this project speculates on the revival of the philological tendencies of the Brothers Grimm whose collections of folktales have characterised the region for centuries. A forest outpost for literature students of a nearby university, borne out of the abundance of local pine wood, the architecture acts as a form of ‘naturpoesie’. The spaces within are synecdochic of the surrounding forest, offering dramatic moments of monumentality alongside individual retreats for literary introspection.

In the spirit of a human tradition reaching back 50,000 years, the stories created within are preserved with inscriptions meticulously carved into the walls. Promoting a long line of intergenerational learning, the building will act as an archive unto itself, preserved by generations of craftspeople dedicated to its maintenance. The reliefs are revealed at particular moments in the day as carefully placed apertures pull the light in from the forest, revealing the stories in the shadows.