Designed for a family of three, the Ledge House's take on communality explores the idea of ‘home’ for its closely-knit inhabitants.
In the local context in which house owners generally want to fit in as many bedrooms as possible, this project went the opposite direction to free up the rest of the house for communal spaces. The brief is deceptively simple, but reflects a kinship that wants to spend as much time together as possible; the family wants only two bedrooms in the three-story residence. All other program spaces in the house are designed as shared spaces without enclosures.
The key design gesture is a cantilevered ledge space that punctures through the middle of the house. At its side, the floor is pulled back to create a double-volume atrium that links it spatially to the other story. This atrium is the heart of the house. Expressed as a bridge that connects the two bedrooms, the ledge is a space that allows family members to do things together or their own things yet partake in one another’s company. From here, one maintains visual connectivity to the rest of the house. Large windows at both ends fill these spaces with daylight and views of surrounding greenery. A feature bookshelf runs the full 39-foot length of the ledge, changing its modulations to suit different functions as the space changes from a lounge to a library to a study. A cantilevered staircase winds around the atrium from the ledge to connect to other shared spaces on other levels.
This spatial porosity, within the home enclosure, offers an intimacy for a household that cherishes its private family time.
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