The house that catches the water
The plot is located in an area of residential houses that are aligned with the road. Because of the steep terrain the neighbouring houses are situated right by the road. The rest of the plot is practically inaccessible. The incline of the terrain itself creates a shadow on the building early in the morning. The investors’ main wish was to expose the whole house to the sun and to direct the views out of the house. Considering the possibilities that the location provides, the investor imagined this to be impossible.
We put the house in the centre of the incline so that:
- the insolation of the house would be as long as possible
- the horizon of the view lifts above the houses
- by digging up and building an embankment we create a new and bigger plot
We used water as a tool for designing the house, which parted the banks and created a stream at the same time – two terraces that expose the banks to the sun and at the same time function as a shelter.
The object is oriented by the conditions of insolation and views. The daytime bank is oriented towards the south, the night-time towards the east. The living quarters of the house is placed in the attic with the intent to provide the biggest insolation and the best views possible.
Because of the norms and regulations stipulated for this area the architecture of the house flirts with the traditional and uses a classical roof, which wraps around the house; it folds because of the functionality and lifts because of the light.
