House 1408
The first time we visited the site, the location is absolutely impressive. It is a beautiful meadow surrounded by an old forest with huge oak trees. We asked ourselves “How do we design a house that compliments the surroundings but does not overshadow them"”, and “What exactly makes a house great"”.
There are a thousand possible answers to this question but not one that is absolutely right or wrong. We feel the most important answer in this situation is to create a meaningful connection to the special surroundings, a connection to nature and the community, and this belief has shaped the whole project.
Photography by © Cosmin Dragomir
We designed the house around this comfortable exterior space, a loggia with beautiful views on two opposite sides, yet protected from wind and rain which makes it comfortable to use in all seasons. It is a space big enough to hold a dinner for twelve, yet cozy enough for just one person reading a book on a rainy day. We imagined these moments and designed the spaces to hold them. The corner lot is a particularly difficult lot, as it requires a six-meter retreat from both streets leaving a narrow strip as the buildable area. To emphasize this corner land, we designed a long brick wall that develops a controlled intimacy for the spaces of the ground floor.
Photography by © Cosmin Dragomir
On this brick wall, the stone bench has a symbolic significance. Most of us live in disconnected, unfriendly n...