Final Drawings for the Cabin

Conceptual Drawings for the Cabin



Stretto House Drawings

Chosen Exampler - Stretto House by Steven Holl

The Stretto House, designed by Architect Steven Holl was designed in 1993 and has received the AIA New York award. The design of the house was triggered via a ‘Stretto’ form of music piece by Bela Bartok – Music for Strings, Percussion and Celeste. This piece of music is separated into four main sections which consisted mostly of the use of overlapping heavy percussion and light string movements (Newby, 2010). Holl decided to follow suit and create four sections in the Stretto House and linking them by overlapping the flow of light and materials. According to Arnardóttir (2011), Holl integrated the ‘Stretto’ design by dividing space in a way that each part was important for the next.

All images retrieved from http://www.stevenholl.com/project-detail.php?id=26&worldmap=true

Environmental Filter
Steven Holl has used materials which seem to replicate the flow of water; using large expanses of glass, light coloured slabs of concrete works and the fluid movements of the roof. Holl has used many facades based on glass to allow sunlight to filter through into the interior space. The facades are also shaped to frame its surrounding environment. Because of the glass facades, most of the rooms in the house have a great view to its surrounding nature and the existing dam; only spaces for intimacy and privacy have used brick layering. “Sited adjacent to three ponds with existing dams, the house projects the character of the site through a series of concrete “spatial dams” with metal framed “aqueous space” flowing through them. Pouring over the dams, like the overlapping stretto in music, water reflects the landscape outside and the spaces overlapping inside” (Holl, 2010).

Container of Human Activities
As seen in the plans, there is an Art Storage space available as this house was designed to house expansive art collections from the Clients. The Clients has grown up in a house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, which they have become aware of living in a piece of art. The house needed to have a view of its surroundings as well as to store pieces of art. Arnardóttir (2011) states that the room is further divided into two units as ‘the first is rectangular heavy masonry which makes reference to the concrete dams on the site, and the second is of light and curvilinear metal which covers the various rooms – living room, art storage room, office, dining room and breakfast corner. Each of the rectangular masonry contains a service zone for the house – the staircases that lead to a bedroom and a sitting room, bathrooms, library and the kitchen. The last section of the house is a partially covered pond, a flooded room’.

Delightful Experience
The exterior of the house alone is very aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Steven Holl has designed the house so that upon arrival, overlapping of spaces occurring can be evident. The interior roofing defines the interior space. The materials used in the Stretto House captures unique sensory experience as it consists of using curtain walls of glass and concrete slabs to create such an outstanding piece of art. There are also strong contrasts of light and shadow within the house created by the strips of light from the overlapping in the roof structure.


Reference
Arnardóttir (2011) Stories of Houses; The Stretto House in Dallas, By Steven holl. Retrieved March 25, 2011 from http://storiesofhouses.blogspot.com/2006/04/stretto-house-in-dallas-by-steven-holl.html
Holl, S. (2010) Stretto House. Retrieved March 24, 2011 from http://www.stevenholl.com/project-detail.php?type=houses&id=26&page=1
Newby (2010) Architecturally Significant Homes; Stretto House. Retrieved March 25, 2011 from http://www.dougnewby.com/Architecture/Architecturally%20Significant/strettohouse.asp

Exampler - C House by Donovan Hill Architects

Donovan Hill Architecture was established in 1992 by Brian Donovan and Timothy Hill which was based in Brisbane (Donovan Hill, 2007). C House by Donovan Hill was known internationally for its originality and conceptual complexity. 



Environmental Filter
The C House is situated on a slope located in Coorparoo, Queensland, Australia, making the natural landscape a vital factor to the design on the house (Donovan Hill, 2010). Due to the complexity and sophistication of the design and the brief, it allowed Donovan and Hill to expand conceptions and experiment with the Queensland subtropical climates. The house has maximum airflow and ventilation due to its optimal use of materials and interior outdoor spaces (Donovan Hill, 2010). This opening captures changing views throughout the day and the light breezes which flow up the site.

Container for Human Activities
The C House is a three story house, which uses overlapping sub sites. It contains sixteen flights of stairs which creates an up-and-down journey around the house. The stairways lead to and around chambers, corridors, courtyards, nooks, pools, gardens, pergolas and balconies. There are private rooms gathered around, under and above the public space of the side; which is the outdoor room shown above (Dedece, 2007). The main part of the house is an atrium-like space which has dual functions; a lobby or an outdoor entertaining/living area (Dedece, 2007).

Delightful Experience
Again, like the Highgate Hill Residence, the materials used in the C House captures a unique sensory experience. The primary materials used to construct the house are fine grain concrete, fine timbers, metal, glass and ceramic tiles (Donovan Hill, 2010). These materials are layered amongst each other to elaborate the experience. As the building is on a slope, each room enables access to a great view of the courtyard.

Reference
De de ce (2007) C House. Retrieved March 25, 2011 from http://www.dedece.com/projects/C-House/495
Donovan Hill (2006) Donovan Hill Profile. Retrieved March 25, 2011 from http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/55599/Donovan_Hill_Profile.pdf
Donovan Hill (2010) Donovan Hill, C House. Retrieved March 26, 2011 from http://www.donovanhill.com.au/mainmenu.htm

Exampler - Highgate Hill Residence by Richard Kirk Architects

Highgate Hill Residence was designed by Richard Kirk Architects. Richard Kirk Architects have situated the Highgate Hill Residence in the southern part of Brisbane, which is amongst a rich landscape environment.  

Environmental Filter

The Highgate Hill Residence is surrounded amongst a mature landscape which includes steep grounds that highlights the relations between interior and exterior spaces. According to the architect himself, he stated that, “as a result of the steepness of the site and the desire to connect the house to an outdoor ground plane the house adopts two distinct identities – the north (landscape) and east (street) is a diminutive floating single level volume hovering over fine steel pins – the south and west (distant views) the vertical and monumental character is revealed of the tall three level residence” (AIA, 2010). Towards the North and East, the upper level is used as a protective canopy as it hovers over the ground plane. Kirk uses fine vertical timber members as screens on the upper level to the street which the façade can be publicly viewed. Kirk has designed this Residence to adapt to its natural environment by building the house entirely of timber and also the use of timber glazed façade systems.

Container of Human Activities

The Highgate Hill Residence consists of several levels; the middle level being the most important one. The main entry into the house is via the street through the middle level; as you enter, there is a void that covers both the living and the dining spaces. Richard Kirk accentuates the stair feature and has described them to be the organizational reference between each level (AIA, 2008). Lower levels form the entertainment area including a media centre and a private guest room whereas the upper levels are where the bedrooms are. The Architect has optimized the use of open and practical living but not forgetting to incorporate privacy and intimacy requirements.

Delightful Experience

The most delightful experience of the Highgate Hill Residence is the materials used. The unique sensory experience combined with the structural elements creates this enjoyable experience. One of the walls of the residence unites glass and timber to create an unforgettable façade. By incorporating glass into the façade, it allows sunlight to be filtered through, highlighting the interior space with natural light. 


Reference
AIA (Australian Institute of Architects) (2010). Highgate Hill House. Retrieved March 14, 2010, from http://www.architecture.com.au/awards_search?option=showaward&entryno=2008044732
AIA (Australian Institute of Architects) (2008). Highgate Hill House. Retrieved March 14, 2010, from http://www.architecture.com.au/awards_search?option=showaward&entryno=2008044732