The architectural concept of the house is radically different from conventional planning practices of the day, for a parcel of this nature. Typically a building volume would be planned in parallel along one of the property boundaries to allocate as much free space for a garden as possible.
After carefully studying the compact lot, in consideration of the owner’s demands, AJGA deemed a conventional organisation would give a large part of the garden area significantly less user value and a large portion of the house facades would not optimise conditions of daylighting and garden view.
AJGA proposed a bold design where the building volume is actually located centrally in the garden.
“ We achieved a feeling of fusion between house and garden in as many interior and exterior spaces as possible by placing the main part of the building volume in the center of the garden. The organic design thus divides the garden into a number of contiguous outdoor living zones, which gives the garden high utility value at all times of the day.”
The house itself is designed as two heavy, bricked solids at each end of the garden, that carry a light weight, floating organic roof clad in ash wood, thus creating a central open and transparent common living area with connection to all portions of the house.
The owners have been responsible for the majority of the construction. This self-build model enabled more freedom, higher level of craftsmanship and an overall experimental approach to the design process. Together a wealth of tailor-made details were considered, in special conditions in regard to the processing of materials that have given the house its truly one-of-a-kind character.
