DF_DC has used concrete to create a monolithic house in the town of Tegna, Switzerland, which takes cues from Japanese architecture and the surrounding mountains.
Named Pyramid House, it was commissioned by a family who wanted a "one-of-a-kind" dwelling that challenged the look of neighbouring houses while maintaining their privacy.
Pyramid House is enclosed by monolithic concrete walls
To achieve this, architecture studio DF_DC designed a seemingly impermeable concrete structure that is "devoid of any symbol of domesticity".
This echoes bunker-like houses found in Japan, informed by the client's interest in Japanese architecture, while also nodding to the mountainscape surrounding the town.
It takes cues from Japanese architecture and the surrounding landscape "The brief asked for a house for a family of four, two parents and two daughters, a sort of a one-of-a-kind house that contrasted with the way of living in suburban row houses," the studio's co-founder Diego Calderon said.
"The clients are enthusiasts of Japanese architecture and were willing to take risks with the project," he told Dezeen.
The house is accessed via two internal courtyards
Pyramid House has an L-shaped plan and sloping, a triangular form containing two storeys. At the rear is a courtyard, partially enclosed by the folded form of the house.
While the front of the house appears to be inaccessible, the hidden rear side that faces the garden is largely glazed and ...