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An outstanding house design has been completed a little while ago by Patkau Architects on Salt Spring Island. A row of mature douglas firs marches across the property inspiring the orientation and form of the building. The building's two ends, main residence and guest quarters, are separated by a breeze way. The rest of the house opens up completely to the outside by retracting multiple door panels - "an open-air pavilion".
Next to the form, the cladding is a strong supporting act - charcoal fibre-cement panels - relentless and crisp. Lack of any other cladding is so very refreshing! The form and the skin make it somewhat hard, but also...
...pure.
Uncompromising and memorable.
The heaviness of the upper mass is inverted inside into literally lighter upper interior portions: upper walls and ceiling are lit up with lighting and skylights ( depending on whether it is night time or daytime). In a palette of light woods and concrete, the interior intentionally plays off the exterior. The structural effort is well worth the all the wonderful moves that happen in this design.
I suspect it will rake in many more design awards.
Now, it would be great to get more public works in Vancouver of the same caliber! Lucky Salt Spring...
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| oh, a twee little shed - I see what you did there |
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| This shower would be a lot harder to leave in the morning! |
