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salt-spring-island-residence-2

Salt Spring Island Residence 2

This project was commissioned by a couple living in Vancouver who fell in love with Salt Spring Island (as many do) and decided to build their dream home on a beautiful high-bank waterfront lot overlooking views of Sansum Narrows and Vancouver Island beyond. The clients had an affinity for mid-century modern design and requested that the house be reminiscent of that style. As one ascends the driveway an accessory building presents itself containing a garage and studio. A path leads from the accessory building to the house which is nestled into a rocky hill and surrounded by several large arbutus trees. The house is a U shape plan framing a courtyard overlooking the ocean. Living spaces are arranged at the centre or bottom of the U with 2 sleeping wings on either side projecting toward the ocean. Both the house and accessory building are clad in black vertical wood siding and protected by flat roofs with generous overhangs. Large sliding glass doors provide seamless transitions from inside to outside and maximize the natural light. Walnut flooring and cabinetry are featured throughout the home to provide a richness and warmth. This home is a tranquil setting to light a fire, have some wine, and watch the eagles soar in front of a backdrop of pacific north-west magic.

suncrest-residence

Suncrest Residence

This new residence is located on a pristine site comprised of a mature douglas fir and pacific madrone forest, with occasional rocky clearings and several small ponds. Our clients desired a work of architecture that minimized site impacts while creating a work of architecture that utilized their favorite materials (wood and concrete) and connected them intimately with the land and the view. The home is situated where the forest gives way to a large rocky clearing with views to the sea. The structure is ‘wrapped’ around a prominent outcropping of rock and carefully situated to require a minimum of tree removal. The long, narrow footprint of the home allows every room a view of the sea while also retaining a strong connection to the surrounding forest. Merit Award – AIA NW & Pacific Honor Awards, 2011 Merit Award – AIA Honor Awards for Washington Architecture, 2010

elephants-hill-house

Elephant’s Hill House

The privileged view of nature was the core starting point for this project on the mountainous region of Nova Lima, State of Minas Gerais/Brazil. An adventurer couple chose us to create this special project in such an exclusive area. At first, the site’s high declivity seemed to be a big challenge, but it was also what inspired us to come up with the implantation’s solution. Exploring its natural landscape and the Elephant’s Hill view, it was possible to set the social floor at the height limit, above the trees. The street facade turned out to be the side elevation and the main facade now faces towards the side boundary. Due to the high declivity of the area, we were able to create a 3 level house. On the ground floor: garage, laundry, and storage. On the first floor, the office was fully integrated with the living room and a guests’ ensuite. Finally, on the second floor, there’s the hosts’ ensuite, with the most privileged view of the landscape. A slight angulation to the east gave us the opportunity to have both the ensuite and the barbecue area to take advantage of the morning sun and the region’s predominant ventilation. At the same time, it helped to protect the ground floor from the sunset light using a concrete wall that blocks the sunlight inside the house. With the major orientation E-W, the house opens to the northern landscape. Extensive eaves on the north view’s perimeter protect the openings of the summer sun, at the same time as the glasses receive the necessary natural heat to naturally warm the inside during the winter.
We requested that two trees were precisely placed by the topographer in the middle of the elevated deck that connects the house to the suspended heated pool. These also work as a natural filter to the sun’s radiation, minimizing the sun’s entry in the living room and the kitchen. The 25m pool, a client wish, is a fundamental part of the volumetric composition of the house. Sustained by two concrete columns, they elevate the pool 6m above the natural floor level, providing to whom’s inside the pool a view of the treetops and the imponent Elephant’s Hill. With the capacity to generate about 1400kW of energy per month through photovoltaic panels, the house is self-sufficiency on energy, warming the pool water and neutralizing the energy consumption from equipment and artificial lightning.
Columns and ribbed slab represent the constructive system. The use of apparent concrete in the house’s wall, swimming pool, and slabs bring the timelessness wanted to the project.