House L . A house that grows out of the landscape
Life in the midst of nature, has always had a magical,
inspiring quality. To create a peaceful home in natural surroundings as a
balance to the hectic world of work in the city is a lifestyle ambition which
many people find especially appealing. These thoughts were the starting-point
for Pott Architects’ discussion with a family of four, who had chosen an
extensive wooded site on a slope for the realisation of their plan to build
themselves a home of distinctive character.
The objective was a house designed sensitively enough to
harmonise with its natural surroundings, leaving intact the mature trees and
the whole forest-like atmosphere of the setting. The building was to feel wide
open to the changing natural seasons and the sunlight, drawing them close into
the family’s everyday home life. It was to be an ecologically responsible
building, capable of functioning sustainably with minimum demand on resources.
Research involving a large number of variations, models and
simulations prepared the way for agreement with the clients on an appropriate
overall concept. Completed in spring 2006, the house in question is testimony
to the thoroughness of the planning process, and points the way forward to new
solutions for life in harmony with nature.