Τίτλος Έργου: Lightly Weighted
Αρχιτέκτονες: Oli Booth Architecture
Κατασκευή: 2021
Τοποθεσία: Auckland, New Zealand
Τύπος: Οικιστικός
Φωτογραφίες: Sam Hartnett
Τετραγωνικά Μέτρα: 85 m2
100W
As an interplay between light and shadow, a textural rippling façade
creates a robust and protective veil for the slight interior and efficiently
planned Lightly Weighted. Ideas of retreat and seclusion, sculpt a highly
detailed and concealed refuge. The modest 2-bedroom home feels removed and
transportive, despite being embedded amongst residences in an inner Auckland
suburb. By creating a protective shell of sorts, the home feels both removed
and private, where outward views connect to nature as a priority. Lightly
Weighted reconsiders an inner-urban home, demonstrating the idea that living
amongst others need not compromise on feeling reclusive and calm
500W
Perched looking out from its elevated position, the modest two-bedroom home
feels removed and transportive, despite being embedded amongst residences in
the Auckland suburb of Grey Lynn. While inner-city living has its multitude of
benefits, there exists an undeniably compromising closeness between residences,
where feeling separated is not always a given. By creating a protective shell
of sorts, Lightly Weighted feels both removed and private, where outward views
connect to nature as a priority.
The small 85-square-metre home sits on an equally modest site of 280 square
meters. The clever manipulation of the building form to engage with natural
light throughout the day, while maintaining privacy, creates interesting
moments that feel sculptural. The decision was made early on to keep the
footprint small and the quality high to try to emphasize how smaller spaces can
feel equally as generous as their larger selves.
Anchoring the home to its site sees the use of fluted concrete formwork to
create a sense of permanence. As a new insertion to an existing milieu, the
structure sits pushed up toward the boundary, creating a courtyard garden in
the centre of the site. The environment is folded into the home and therefore
celebrated in different ways through the spaces created.
The intuitive floor plan is formed from a place of restraint and efficiency.
Although spread over two levels, the burrowing of the lower level into the
sloping site allows a reduced presence from approach. It provides a considered
engagement with the site, whereby the bedrooms are restful, set within the
native vegetation below and feel completely removed from its urban environment.
Framing the upper level, the fluted concrete walls sit to the north and east,
pulling the overall form together and recalibrating an inward directed
focus.
Light, shadow and materials have a symbiotic relationship here. The robust
external form opens up from within, with glazing providing a connection to the
wider streetscape and surrounding natural elements. Light and shadow inform an
ever-changing palette. Exposed concrete forms a thermal moderator, black floors
and ceilings compress and absorb light, Totara timber wall linings provide
warmth and a consistency for the vertical elements in the room, while the stone
bench is raised on a plinth to create an anchor to the space – designed as a
piece of furniture.
With the primary focus of the house being away from the sun, it provided a
special opportunity to consider how best to let it back in. Exploring how light
can be amplified, a 4.2-metre long 'slot' was inserted at the apex of the roof.
Together with the ceiling space flaring out, this encouraged the sunlight to be
directed deeper into the living spaces.
Lightly Weighted reconsiders an inner-urban home, demonstrating the idea
that living amongst others need not compromise on feeling reclusive and
calm.
WHY
With intensification becoming ever more necessary across the world, its
important to consider how our existing suburbs cater for more people, while
still achieving considered, functional and beautiful family spaces. This is an
example of a family home built in someone’s 'backyard', which can cater to the
need for intensification, without compromising on quality or beauty. If we can
address scale, not as a compromise but as an opportunity, it is possible to
create urban homes that feel generous and connected, whilst occupying a small
footprint.
There is often a hesitancy to intensification from older generations, who
feel their surroundings will be degraded or the character of the neighborhood
lost through this process. Lightly Weighted challenges this mindset and offers
an insight to how we can enhance our surroundings, and improve our quality of
life.
Lightly Weighted considers all of these possibilities and demonstrates how
materials, light and scale can become highly reactive, and connected to its
surroundings. The building occupies 42m2 footprint (85m2 over 2 levels) and
uses a combination of cost efficient materials such as OSB, and combines these
higher quality options in spaces that we engage with on a daily basis. Locally
sourced timber, lines the walls, while also serving a functional purpose to
conceal kitchen cabinetry, coat cupboards, wardrobes and a laundry.
Light is celebrated in specific locations (ie. the 4.2m long light scoop)
which allows us to then consider how best to let it back in. The tiled 'scoop'
is set at an angle to encourage low winter sun, whilst in summer, the narrowness
means that the living spaces are not overwhelmed in sunlight throughout the
day.
Fluted concrete walls anchor the house on two sides, providing a protective
veil from adjacent neighbors, whilst the other two walls, are completely
glazed, which focus specifically on the the wider aspect and surround context.
The corner of the house opens to form a covered, but exposed sitting area in
the summer months.
By prioritising an efficient floor plan, it allowed the courtyard garden to
be established at the front of the house. This becomes an extension of the
home, and creates an intimacy and more generous extension of space.
Traditionally urban homes are focussed on being large and functional, which
often arises in wasted space, and empty areas once members of the family
(eventually) leave home. Here we focussed on creating highly reactive and
efficient spaces that work well for varying levels of occupation. This is a
challenge to consider the ways in which we have lived, and how the
possibilities of how we can live, can become even more beautiful.
