The Hill House, Idea From David Coleman Architecture
David Coleman Architecture designed The Hill House with the simple shape but looks like perfectly blend with surrounding condition. Built on a long, narrow and rocky hillside, this house give other experiences for people who stay inside. Far away from the bustle is one of what this hill house offered.
Why I said that this hill house is quite simple, it’s because this house is only like a shelter formed by the east wall and the roof only. Other side is made from steel frame and glasses. The building reads and lives like a habitable landscape, adapting to the changing seasons and needs of its occupants. In short, this is a modest, sustainable building with a big presence in a big landscape.
A light-framed, wood platform steps up the hillside and floats above it. Interior and exterior functions are delineated by a glass wall that wraps three sides of the structure. Finish materials are common throughout, blurring the line between inside and out. The result is a seasonally expansive structure, generous in summer (2200 SF), modest and efficient in winter (1100 SF).
The east wall cuts into the land like a rusty blade, evoking the cultural history of the mining encampments found in the area and providing privacy from the adjacent country road. It offers a defensive backdrop when viewed from the interior and, combined with the shelter provided by the roof, and warmth provided by the wood stove/fire pit, lends a primordial feel to the building that is unexpected in this thoroughly modern structure.
Gabion stone walls bridge between building and landscape, offering retaining, context and privacy. Construction waste was dramatically reduced by incorporating these walls, which are made from the spoils of the building’s excavations.
Sustainable materials, technologies and techniques are used throughout. Recycled steel, sustainably harvested wood, BIBS insulation in over sized wall and ceiling cavities, on-demand hot water, low-flow fixtures and convection heat are all employed. Fenestration is designed to encourage passive solar radiation in winter. In summer, roofs and walls are vented to dissipate heat, and large overhangs, combined with seasonally-deployed, exterior sun shades (made from the same fabric used to shield fruit trees on nearby orchards) protect the glass from summer sun. In addition, the building’s wedge shape and site orientation result in a solar chimney effect, encouraging natural ventilation and evaporation cooling.
(Source : Contemporist)
Visit David Coleman Architecture site here
