HOUSES 129 REVISITED 133
andselfbeliestheorderedplan,denyinga simplification
ofexperienceand/ora fixationona singularimage.
Insection,theceilingofthelivingpavilion
rakesskywardtowardnorthernlightwhileproviding
seasonalshadetothefullyglazedlivingspacesbelow.
Thisprojectionofspaceoutwardistemperedbythe
solidanddistinctset-downoftheadjoiningreadingroom
andpond.A furthersenseofanchoringisprovidedby
theplacementofthefireplaceintoanalmostfirepit-like
arrangement.Theadjacentrammedearthhallwayis
bookendedatitseasternextentbya gridofolivetrees,
whiletothewestit stepsdowntoreconnectthehouseto
thenaturalfallofthelandandthewildcoastalbushbeyond.
It isherethata slowflightofstairssecludes
themainbedroomtoa lowerlevelwhilemaintainingan
almost-two-storeyinteriorvolumewithin.Toitssouth,
a partiallyhiddenmaturetreeisrevealedthroughsmall,
carefullypositionedwindows,encouragingthefocused
observationofrustlingleavesorthetextureofbark.The
tree’spresenceisamplifiedbythevolumeoftheroom,
anditsreductiontodetailscreatesa senseofprivacy,
enclosureandintrospection.
Overtimethehousehaschangedownersand
uses,froma privateresidencetoshort-stayaccommodation.
Homelyincursionsbybelongingsandembellishmentsare
apparent– thisshouldnotbereadasa critiqueofdecorative
tastebutinsteadasanopportunitytodiscusstherobustness
ofthearchitecture.Pragmaticcompromisesareevident;
windowtinting,shadingdevices,internalflyscreensand
terraceddeckshaveaddedperceptualbarrierstotheintense
thresholdbetweeninsideandout.
Theplanting-outofthecourtyardandpainting
ofthereadingroomwallsnowdefinesthesespaces,evoking
a senseofenclosure,incomparisontothelightnessofthe
previouslywhitewalls.Likewise,extensivecoveringofthe
timberfloorwithpatternedrugsprovidesprotection,but
obscuresthecontinuationofmaterialfrominsidetoout,
thusredefiningthespacebothvisuallyandasfeltunderfoot.
Theseadditionstosurfacesdonotnegatethepowerofthe
underlying architecture, such that the genius loci held by02 Reflectionsofthe
skyandsurrounding
forest,castacross
framelessglassdoors,
layerpanoramicviews
tothehorizon.
03 Sunkenbelow
theleveloftheliving
pavilion,thereading
roomandfireplace
hearthsitadjacentto
the central courtyard.
0203