04 The central courtyard is
open to the sky, while the
roof folds over the pool
as an open canopy.The dragging of the roof profile offsets the mullions in what
is, as far as practicable, a glass box subdivided by glass partitions.
Themullionsaresetapartbydifferingamounts;withintheideal
form inscribed in my mind, there were subtle rhythms at work. I
counted eight surfaces that suggest spatial differentiation from above
myhead,whilethefloorplanerunsflatandlogicalbelow.Without
this careful overhead modulation into sub spaces, this could have
beenoneofthoseintimidatingpanoramicglazedboxesthatarethe
epitome of the alienation from nature caused by too full an embrace.
Alessontaughtbyglasshouseseverywhere.
Of the nine squares, one three-sided glazed square containing
themainbedroomisallowedtoriseuptoalmostdoublevolume,
punctuated by a sky-watching roof light. The roof extrusion here
conceals an upper-level eyrie, from which neighbouring headlands
canbewatched.Theeyrieisreachedbyanexternalstairfromthe
courtyard.Theroofprofilefoldsoverthepoolasanopencanopy,
providing shade in summer, but also capturing the view of a distant
inland ridge of trees.
04
Theblowsyranchhousesonneighbouringheadlandssetno
limitsontheirencroachmentintothelandscape.Asyoudriveonto
the Otways headland there is a glimpse of Ben’s bounded figure
ridingthegrassydunes.Ifitwereaflat-roofedbox,thehouse’s
elevation would show no hint of the geometrical purity that is at
work.Fromadistancethefoldedrooftakesonthelookofoneof
thosehatsthatfallsoutofacrackeratChristmas.Itmakesacrown,
thepointsofwhichhintatthesubdivisionswithin.Serendipitously,
this long prospect to the ambiguously zigzagged figure is framed at
close quarters by a cylindrical water tank, also a bounded figure.
Boththe“tank”and“crown”lookasiftheycouldbepickedupand
moved.Bothfulfiltheirgeometricalorigin,butbothare contained,
finite. They make limited claims on the landscape.
Leavingthesite,wepassanestateagent’sboardadvertising
a seaside mansion, replete with an indoor pool. It could be any
headland, anywhere. On the board, alluringly lit spaces beamed their
presence into a twilight still glowing from a lurid sunset. This is an
image almost too good to be true.03 Both the cylindrical
water tanks and
geometric house look
as if they could be
picked up and moved.