James Corbett Architects

GIVEN THIS ASPECT OF THE SITE, WE SPENT CONSIDERABLE TIME AND ENERGY RESEARCHING AND DESIGNING THE BEST SOLUTION FOR THIS PROPOSED HOUSE, USING MODELS TO STUDY SITE MASSING, SITING OF THE BUILDING, VIEWS ACROSS, THROUGH AND TO THE SITE.  WE WERE HEAVILY INSPIRED BY VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE, BUT WITHOUT WANTING TO RESORT TO PASTICHE, WE STROVE TO REINTERPRET AND RE-PRESENT A HOUSETYPE FOR THIS PARTICULAR SITE, SETTING AND CONTEMPORAY LIFE.

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WHEN CONSIDERING THE SITING OF THE PROPOSED HOUSE AND THE GENERAL SITE LAYOUT, WE CHOSE TO EMBRACE THE CONTOURS AND FOLDS OF THE SITE TO INTEGRATE THE DWELLING INTO THE LANDSCAPE.  BY KEEPING THE ROOF LEVELS LOW AND ENSURING THAT THE HOUSE LOCATION DOES NOT RESULT IN AN ELEVATED BUILDING, WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY MANAGED TO AVOID BREAKING THE SKYLINE.

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THE PROPOSED HOUSE FORM IS A SERIES OF SIMPLE RECTANGLUAR PLANS WITH PITCHED ROOFS. WITH THE CARPORT, THIS ARRANGEMENT FORMS A 'DOMESTIC COURTYARD' FOR ARRIVAL.  IT GIVES THE HOUSE THE APPEARANCE OF A CLUSTER OF BUILDINGS FORMING ONE STRUCTURE. THIS GIVES A SENSE OF ARRIVAL TO THE HOUSE, AND ECHOES THE TRADITIONAL FARMHOUSE COURTYARD ARRANGEMENT, REFERING TO THE CULTURE OF RURAL HOUSING OF THE AREA.  AS THERE ARE NO EXSITING STRUCTURES ON THE SITE, WE WANT TO PROPOSE A DESIGN THAT SUGGESTS A PRE-EXISTING VERNACULAR STRUCTURE, A BUILDING THAT IS DESIGNED AROUND INNATE RATIONALE, SENSITIVE TO CONTEXT AND OUR CLIENT'S NEEDS.  THIS FORM WAS INVESTIGATED THROUGH MODELLING, AND THE STRUCTURE'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SITE AND ITS CONTEXT WAS GIVEN PARTICULAR ATTENTION.

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THE HOUSE DOES NOT FACE THE ROAD. IN FACT, THE PROPOSAL IS ARRANGED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE NOT ONLY OF THE BREATHTAKING VIEW; WE POSITIONED EACH SPACE WITHIN THE HOUSE TO MAXIMISE ORIENTATION OF THE SUN, SO THAT ALL SPACES GET DIRECT SUNLIGHT DURING THE DAY.  ALL HABITABLE ROOMS FACE SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST, WHILE ALL SERVICES ROOMS, SUCH AS BATHROOMS, STORAGE AND CIRCULATION, ARE NORTH-FACING AND ARE PARTIALLY SUBMERGED INTO THE SITE.  THE WALLS OF THESE SERVICE ROOMS ACT AS RETAINING WALLS FOR THE WHOLE HOUSE.  THIS STRATEGY HAS ALLOWED THE STRUCTURE TO BE ABSORBED INTO ITS IMMEDIATE SURROUNDINGS WHILE MAXIMISING THE VIEWS, DAYLIGHT AND SOLAR GAIN FROM THE CONSIDERED SOUTHERLY ORIENTATION OF THE BUILDING AND ITS INTERNAL SPATIAL ARRANGEMENT.  THROUGH SECTIONAL STUDIES, WE RESEARCHED THE EXTENT OF SUNLIGHT PENETRATION INTO THE HOUSE, MEASURING THE VARYING ANGLES OF THE SUN AND ENSURING WINDOW HEIGHTS AND ROOF OVERHANG ELIMINATES GLARE.

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