The Bamboo Wall House was designed by a Chinese architect, Kengo Kuma. It was part of an initiative by Chinese architects to design houses all along the Great Wall of China to celebrate the architectural brilliance of the wall. The Bamboo Wall House subtly pays tribute to many aspects of the great wall while also contrasting dramatically with it as well.House As An Environmental Filter
The transparency of the predominantly bamboo walls frames and emphasis the power of the great wall, marking China's territory and keeping out all invaders. Bamboo is considered sacred in Chinese culture and the effective use of it in this house allows an intimate connection to the land, while allowing wind and light to pass through. The coupling of the terrain with this material provides stunning views and creates a serene and peaceful environment.
House As A Container Of Human Activities
The Bamboo Wall House is very large, housing six bedrooms with seperate bathrooms. The highlight of the house is the tea room in the centre of the house. It is surrounded by shallow pools of water and has bamboo coming up through the water providing views of the surrounding landscape and Great Wall it appears to be floating as the beautiful scenery expands outwards. It is very open excentuated further by the transperent walls and the living and dining room are connected.
House As A Delightful Experience
The Bamboo Wall House is an architectural masterpiece, combining the delicate and serene qualities of bamboo with the majesty of the Great Wall. This house does not compete with it's surroundings, instead inviting them in to enhance the emotions and feelings evoked from the inhabitants.
Archetype B: Dunbar House
The Dunbar House was design by Jennifer Taylor and James Conner. It is a beach house located at Point Lookout on North Stradbroke Island. Inspiration for the house was drawn from multicultural experiences as well as an ongoing familiarisation with the site established through constant visits to the site and the previous cottage that was located there.
House As An Environmental Filter
The Dunbar House challenges the conventional belief that different rooms should be broken into different spaces. Instead it seperates the house into two sections joined in the middle by an open court. Both pavilions can be totally opened up to form a grand unified space which melds with the outside view through the open court and louver walls, breaking down any sense of containment. The site is situated above one of the beautiful beaches of North Stradbroke and the openess of the house allows for stunning views. The use of natural materials such as rock floors and 50 double rows of round timber columns also contributes to the organic feel of the house. The different elements of design ensure that Dunbar is suitable for the ever changing weather conditions of Stradbroke while maintaining the visual links with the beach house style.
House As A Container Of Human Activities
The main sitting and sleeping area is seperated by the open court while the opposite pavilion contains the kitchen, dining and fireseide lounge as well as the principle sleeping area and outdoor bathroom. The only solid walls on the upper level are along the street elevation while the remainder of the structural support is 50 double rows of round timber columns.
House As A Delightful Experience
The site is set into a raised, sandy sloping site looking south over a 100km picturesque panorama of sand, sea and sky. The house is long and narrow, following the contours of the site, forming a low profile against the dunes when viewed from the beach. The amalgamation of living areas with the outdoor court enhance the stunning views and creates a surreal atmosphere with offshore winds blowing through the house and a fire blazing.
Archetype C: Mooloomba House
The Mooloomba house was designed by Brit Andresen and Peter O'Gorman for their own personal use. It is a beach house located on North Stradbroke Island. This was their own personal project through which the experimentation, knowledge and experience gathered through their research was able to be fully developed and expressed.
House As An Environmental Filter
Brit Andresen possesses a unique design philosophy that architecture comes from the spirit, one of its geneses being the land. The house is situated on a slope facing the Pacific Ocean. It is nestled amongst native banksias and ferns, the architect aims to create a mythical landscape while also creating a prominent physical landscape.To fix the location of the house in the surrounding environment a balance was sought between the site and greater landform. The rooms form an imaginary forest constructed as a continuous landscape adjacent to the western boundary. The rooms were created slowly, grown over time using a collage of materials. Despite the heavy use of robust native hardwood, the house still appears relatively fragile and delicate; with the use of slitted timber walls and with the belvedere out the front giving off a bird's nest vibe.
House As A Container Of Human Activities
The house is relatively long and narrow, built around the deck, which spans the entire length and acts as a spine for the entire building. On the ground floor a large living room with a fireplace is seperated from the equally sized studio/dining room and kitched by an open courtyard. Both of these rooms open directly onto the dirt-floored courtyard. The deck flows out onto the outdoor eating area and stairs leading to the second level. The house contains three bedrooms and study located on this second level. The belvedere, bathroom, shower and laundry is also located on the second floor.
House As A Delightful Experience
The architect masterfully accomplishes their goal of sculpting a house around the environment, so much so that it is impossible to seperate where the house ends and landscape begins. The surrounding native foilage is emphasised perfectly by the use of hardwood, louvres and slitted walls. In order to counteract the warping of the hardwood without covering over it with plywood a simple strategy was adopted. Thin strips of hard wood were laminated with an opposing grain and integrated into the wall panel, working against opposing grain. The magical surroundings are brought to a pinacle from the belvedere as the cliff drops away and the tree line frames the endless ocean. Because of the different design elements the house feels as if the inhabitant is still moving through the forest and the house is merely an extension of this.
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