A “container” that changes as you design and live in it must continue to give you the pleasure of living there, on top of the challenge of living in a house of this kind. Clothes, kitchen supplies and other things related to the inhabitants’ hobbies can be freely placed, and their living space can be filled with things that promote enjoyment and happiness in their lives.
During the design stage, a new addition to the owners’ family arrived to add to the enjoyment of their home.
Without defining or limiting the future possibilities of this family, we designed a house that allows for flexibility within their daily lives, such as hobbies and family activities.
The construction of the building is based on forming four boxes, each box divided into two layers around a central space, which acts as the hub of the home in which the family gathers.
The first layer of each box functions as the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, and work space.
The second layer has intentionally been left blank so the areas can be used for their increasing hobbies, wardrobes or a children’s room.
Particularly, the children’s rooms should be left up to each child to design.
Each space, such as the kitchen and bathroom, meets the minimum size required for the designated function, by using 910 modules. They are function spaces, rather than rooms, and the central hub is an open atrium. The four boxes, each with a function contributing to the users’ daily lives, are gathered around this central space. Without limiting it to 910 modules, I positioned the angle of the central space and boxes so that from all windows the view is of trees or the sky, not the neighbouring house or their windows. Also, the angle between the kitchen and the adjacent boxes on both layers allows for a clear view from the kitchen, especially important when the box is used as a children’s room.
This house, born of long, fruitful discussions with the client, creates a space where I hope the family and the building itself can grow together.
