Architecture, just like art, has the ability to detach the individual and provoke a sense of intrigue and inspiration. Some buildings leave a greater mark, especially if the project or the site it is built on has a story of its own.
The Mask by WOJR is developed for an individual who lost his younger brother in a lake in Ithaca, New York. After the tragedy, the lake became a zone of detachment from the everyday world, transforming the structure from just a house on a lake, to a space of contemplation.
A total of 587 square feet (approx. 180 sqm) are elevated on a platform which, although nestled within the forest, creates a boundary across the site. Upon entering the house, one finds refuge by the interior spaces, as one room is enclosed within the other.
The Mask is designed by William O’Brien Jr., John David Todd, Gabrielle Piazza Patawaran, Justin Gallagher, Kian Hiu Lan Yam, and Joey Swerdlin, and is a recipient of an Honorable Mention from the 2017 Progressive Architecture Award.
