The building site for our architectural commission was an existing family compound within an upscale, urban community. The surrounding homes were of a traditional, conservative design but our clients, adventurous professionals with a growing family, were ready to embrace a more progressive design.
A Detailed and Ambitious Brief
The list of requests was challenging: a long swimming pool, display area for a automobile collection, a working garage, a gym, two offices, a luxurious common living area, a guest suite, a private family area and plenty of informal entertainment options for play, entertainment and socializing. Adding to the complexity of these challenges were the normal setback and height restrictions imposed by the zoning regulations.
Understanding the Tropical Context
The location of the mostly flat site was in a tropical environment – meaning that blazing hot and humid summers, torrential rains and high wind were common.
A Crisp Modern Home with Informal Elegance
Our interpretation of the client brief was summarized as an objective that would result in a crisp, modern and durable solution featuring a welcoming, elegant, yet informal spirit. Light and airy spaces, white walls to reflect the harsh sun combined with large, framed views of the garden spaces were desirable.
Sawtooth Geometry for Light, View, and Form
The geometry of the house was stimulated by a stubborn need to resist a forgone conclusion. Instead of adding yet another boxy home we deployed a lively sawtooth pattern for the basic floor plan. This organization allowed us to generate unique perspectives from any point inside or outside the house. The result was a crisp, white on white residential composition that was favorably received.
