Folded Wall House / DADA Partners

closed

Text description provided by the architects.This suburban city home is defined by its indoor/ outdoor living areas and large entertainment space. Contemporary aesthetics informed the building design with sculptured rectangular forms, a large expanse of glazing, and wide sliding fenestration, creating the desired visuals.High‐quality contemporary furnishings and finishes introduce a sense of understated luxury with a modern take and impart a sense of calmness and cohesion. The informal family space opens to the southern lawn at the same time with big, panoramic window that breaks borders between internal and external space thus making the lower level connected to the landscape. At the first-floor level as well, this central courtyard of the house is viewed from all the interior spaces.Designed as a weekend home for a family, the residence is configured as a ‘C’ typology with a large central courtyard facing the linear lawn towards the north. The villa is designed with two sets of parallel masses with the connecting volume running east-west perpendicularly to create this large courtyard. The free-standing charcoal grey limestone wall forms an elongated portal accentuating the movement towards the building whilst providing a much-needed transition from the drop-off to the main entrance.A layered and textured material palette is combined with the clean, modern theme throughout the building to create subtle warmth and movement throughout the expansive spaces. Textures of the granite stone and natural finishes complement detailed metal work such as vertical screens, louvers, and canopies. Wood finishes warm the interior, while water and landscape elements across the exterior provide the backdrop for the family’s sculpture collection.The interior and exterior spaces seamlessly blend to offer moments of transition and add experiential quality to the living spaces. The courtyard is strategically placed to break the linear scale into smaller masses and to further bring the landscape into the interior spaces. Overlapping horizontal rooflines with protracted overhangs expand spatial volumes, while higher roofs allow more natural light in the core of the building. The highlight of the residence is a large canopy over the formal zone that folds down as a cantilevered wall over the main pool whilst allowing views of the pool from the living room. This adds a dramatic visual over the reflective pool adjacent to the formal living room and forms the focus of the landscape.