The Window House / FORMZERO

Curated by Fernanda Castro

Architects: FORMZERO
Area: 900 m²
Year: 2017
Photographs:Ronson Lee - Twins Photography
Manufacturers: Bubbledeck, Jotun, Netwood, SKK, Zacklim

Text description provided by the architects. The concept of The Window House starts with two fundamental questions.

When a proposed house is sited right on the edge of a reserved forest, a seamless correspondence between the house and the nature shall become the priority of the design. On the contrary, what if the house owner has expressed no interest in the outdoor space or the nature but rather maximising the interior volume as part of the design brief? This paradoxical situation is adversely transformed into an inspirational thought.

Window is probably the most direct element that define our relationship with the outdoor space. When a house is surrounded by other houses, such relationship is immediately disjoined by just dropping down a curtain. How can we restore such relationship with the outdoor space without compromising our privacy?

To answer these questions, the design concept of The Window House departed with three tectonic approaches through the manipulation of the form and function of window. By doing so, the ultimate aim of this project is to strengthen the house owner’s bonding with the existing context without diluting the design brief.

CONCRETE SHELL

From east to west, this house is wrapped in an additional layer of perforated concrete wall which appears like a shell. Apart from acting as a thermal protection with cross ventilation, the shell is the first layer to control the privacy. Between the house and the concrete shell, multi-level of landscape is inserted in order to create an ambiguous condition which makes the landscape to appear more like an indoor space.

The Window House / FORMZERO - Image 27 of 48 — © Ronson Lee - Twins Photography

TELESCOPING FORM

The concrete shell is shaped in a telescoping form. It is tapered at the front, widened towards the forest in both plan and section, like creating a giant window frame to look out to the forest. At the same time the tapered front facade is projected to the street that creates a more human scale house.

The Window House / FORMZERO - Stairs — © Ronson Lee - Twins Photography

WINDOWS FOLLOW FUNCTIONS

Rooms with different functions deserve different windows. To create specific viewing experience for each room, the proportion and the position of each window on the north and south facade are derived out of the function of each room. Instead of imposing an arbitrary aesthetic, the facade therefore becomes a collective expression of each room. In addition to enhancing the quality of framing view, the windows are outlined with deepened eaves, every scenery is captured in a picture frame.