  This work explores the use of a tree tensor network ansatz to simulate the
ground state of a local Hamiltonian on a two-dimensional lattice. By exploiting
the entropic area law, the tree tensor network ansatz seems to produce
quasi-exact results in systems with sizes well beyond the reach of exact
diagonalisation techniques. We describe an algorithm to approximate the ground
state of a local Hamiltonian on a L times L lattice with the topology of a
torus. Accurate results are obtained for L={4,6,8}, whereas approximate results
are obtained for larger lattices. As an application of the approach, we analyse
the scaling of the ground state entanglement entropy at the quantum critical
point of the model. We confirm the presence of a positive additive constant to
the area law for half a torus. We also find a logarithmic additive correction
to the entropic area law for a square block. The single copy entanglement for
half a torus reveals similar corrections to the area law with a further term
proportional to 1/L.
