Inside and Outside and Vice Versa
The building itself is a design of
cantilevered brick masses. Most
striking is the strong connection made
between the interior and exterior
through dematerialized surfaces. Seen
from the outside, the house’s interior
planes replace that which is carved
from the exterior walls. According to
the designer, “a façade must entice
the passer-by and extend a sense of
welcome .” The invitation is all the
more compelling thanks to the window
frames that project outward, toward
the street.
The inverse is also true: the landscape
is brought inside, along with high-
quality natural light. Diffused by the
large east and west glazed surfaces,
sunlight grazes along the walls and
downward from top to bottom. To
better capture sunshine from the
south, a central vertical window
projecting above the roofline (30 ft.)
extends into a skylight feature. In
addition, a transparent section of floor
in the middle of the upper level floods
the centre of the ground floor with a
generous afternoon luminosity.
The Therapeutic Aspect
Visual fluidity is also a way to mitigate
the trials and tribulations of the age
at which people can find themselves
confined to their home, the risk
of depression never far away. The
wide openings come into play here,
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allowing the owner to enjoy either
nature or the city without having to go
outside: a starry sky above the pool,
the shadows of trees and raindrops on
the glass catwalk; and on the street
side, pedestrians passing by and the
colourful morning sky.
Photo credit: Marc Cramer
www.indesigninc.com