D+N2 House / DP+HS Architects

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The entrance opening serves as the ‘tension’, presented in a low ceiling and narrow corridor, like a small gap of an opening of a cave, and acts as a preparation for a sudden change in the double height volume of the swimming pool area, opens up vertically to the skylight roof, completing the ‘release’ of the space sequences. The same strategy is applied during the sequence to the second floor, through the long and narrow stairs, and ends up in the large basketball hall with a high ceiling.Text description provided by the architects.Being an extension house project of the previously designed house by DP+HS Architects, this was a notable project due to its strong presence and unique brief. The clients wanted a tailored home that was sumptuous yet subdued, having the quality of outdoor activity yet enclosed and a private atmosphere. Due to its nature as an extension house, the program is quite straightforward: a collection of rooms to support the activity of the main house, which are a swimming pool, sauna, lounge, playing room, and basketball court.The procession was a very important part of the house circulation and became one of the strategies to relate the architecture with the overall atmosphere and function. The idea is when you are coming home, it should be a ritual and the transition between the day's activities and the purpose of going home. This idea is then translated into a sequence of space, which unfolds itself and involves the senses through different volumes and scales of spaces, vertically and horizontally. The tension and release strategy is applied both in the horizontal and vertical senses.The initial concept is to create a modern ‘cave,’ presented with the simplest form of concrete gate combined with timber gate, and create the polar character of materials that balance up each other. This ‘cave’ form acts as the building envelope to cover the swimming pool beneath the structure, giving shelter to the unobstructed space with a large void inside it. This space emphasizes openness, leading to a visual and verbal connection between spaces and activities, both horizontally and vertically.The void serves as the light source for the entire inner part of the house, with laminated glass skylight plus double layer screens to protect from direct sunlight and create different shadow patterns throughout the day while helping set up the mood. The waterfall is placed along the swimming pool wall to create a calm atmosphere, and combined with the void and the air outlet, it triggers a cross-ventilation system, which helps lower the house temperature during the day. Using the strategy of layering, the exterior composition of the house was a series of different layers and programs presented in a variety of materials and components to serve as an enclosure, texture, and character that gives richness to the house facade, while the overall composition kept controlled in a linear and continuous manner, giving order to the form and build a strong presence with its simple yet meticulous details.