Faced with the challenge of a highly constrained site, Wollumbin House is a project that embraces solitude and sanctuary in the confines of a suburban context. Anchored on a steep west facing site the project acts as a vantage point to enjoy views of the caldera and Wollumbin (Mount Warning) to the west and glimpses of the Pacific ocean to the north.
The design speaks to the harshness of the east coast environment; a dark and robust exterior material palette that endures relentless salt filled northerlies. Operable western facade systems control the harsh afternoon sun while allowing expansive views across the hinterland; the upper level has a series of fabric screens hidden in the soffit, while the mid level relies on aluminium strut panels that can be adjusted to a variety of angles.
This project started with a couple who wanted to rebuild their old residence, which they had lived over 70 years. The couple requested us to build a single-story house with a bright dining kitchen, 3 parking spaces, and a vegetable garden.
The site, located in the northern part of Hiroshima City, is surrounded by two-story houses with several medium- to high-rise apartment buildings. We assumed that the requested volume of a single-story house would be difficult to adapt with its surroundings in the context, so we attempted to set up a volume on the same scale as the surrounding building and then cut the unnecessary parts out of the volume.
The existing plot as half of a block facing two streets and a square, included three buildings with different uses, volumetries and facade tiles.
The initial purpose of the project was the requalification of the two existing 1 story houses and the total demolition of the warehouse building in the North corner of the complex, fully degraded. The intended program is for 4 autonomous houses.
The project consists in the vertical extension of the South corner house (by increasing an upper floor and attic) and the vertical and horizontal expansion of the “vinhos e tabacos” building, not only by increasing an upper floor and attic, but also by increasing its footprint area with a new construction in the North warehouse. The new construction was treated as part of the existing “wines and tobaccos” building.
The house located on the coast of the state of Bahia, Brazil, has 831.22m² of built area on a plot of 3,288m². The construction carried out from scratch prioritized the maximum use of space as possible, with a focus on exuberant natural lighting, spaciousness and integration of the rooms, comfort and high quality in all aspects of the project, in addition to exclusivity in its execution.
The design brief was to build a setting, grounded with texture and colour imbibing a calm and minimalistic environment. At first glance the four vertically stacked triangular planes of concrete which form the front facade defines this concrete home in Indore, India. The 5800sqft suburban home sits in a plot size of 2400 sq ft. The site, surrounded by a residential community with bungalows and apartments provides a comfortable location to design a modern day residence.
The raw surfaces of exposed concrete walls forming the facade have been casted with pine wood shuttering to exhibit the natural impression of the wooden grains left by the form work. It has been later Dye finished with powdered ochre to the colour of pine bark to soothe the coarseness that the exposed concrete usually imposes and provide some warmth to the material. Whilst in the interiors, the surfaces of concrete walls, and carefully picked decor change in color and contrast depending on light levels, adding depth and texture to their surroundings.
The reconstruction of a terrace house for the needs and comfortable urban living with the current standards for a family. The same terrace house design repeats in a few streets, using pseudo-mansard roofs, partial prefabrication, and materials from the early 1990s.
The terrain difference was used to the advantage in the original design. The street-level floor with small windows disappeared into the terrain. The entrance part of the house reminded a poorly lit basement. Fortunately, the end position of the terraced housing has a small garden with mature trees. The garden was difficult to access from the house due to the height difference. In addition, the main rooms were oriented in the direction of the sun but facing the street. The internal layout corresponded to the division of the house into separate apartments on each floor with a common entrance. Low clear height in the interior (2,5 m) defined its atmosphere.
Premek´s land looked like a nice peaceful meadow under the forest but the whole thing looked easier than it actually was. The land lies on the border of the third and fourth zones of the Beskydy Protected Landscape Area. Even though there are original buildings from the 1970s all around, we had to make a great effort to build this house. The orientation of the plot was not quite ideal either but nothing we could not handle.
This property was planned by Architect and Interior Designer Inon Ben-David over a period of two years and another full year was dedicated to its construction.
The undeniable effort, time and thought invested in the project had paid off. The 250 sqm, two-level property is located in the Kfar Giladi Kibbutz and enjoys the exquisite view of the surrounding Hula valley and Mount Hermon.
Between the Coll and the Carmel hill of Barcelona, on one side of the upper course of the old Farigola stream, Pere Llobet and Portell streets lead us to one of the back entrances to Park Güell.
The property seems to be cloistered, intricate, slightly hidden from view, and perhaps even a little humble for passers-by.
It possesses an abundance of tension between its interior and exterior while making extensive use of authentic materials, of whom concrete is undoubtedly the star of the show. The ‘wow’ factor, as described by architect Dan Israelevitz, ‘reveals itself once you enter the home where you experience a sense of quiet and immense admiration. The property communicates and is a home whose presence is deeply felt. The house was built, planned, and designed by Dan and Hila Israelevitz.
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