|
A continuous series of terrain curves designate the programme of this unique house
Located in Perth, Western Australia, the Aldrich Residence was derived as an extension of the landscape; a landscape that opens onto the waterfront. Evoked by this view, the residence is shaped out of the supple form of the natural terrain to embrace the water. It nestles itself between the landscape and under the fluidity of a single gesture; the concrete roof.
Utilising computer-aided terrain modelling, the roof is a non-parallel extension of the landscape below. It has been digitally enhanced to provide a unique porous stratum in which the volume of the house exists. These volumes, in turn, act as extensions of the ground which gracefully float out across the site. Like a jigsaw, the roof and landscape interlock so as one moves through the house there is an ever-shifting viewpoint as it collects light and exposes views. By way of its' integration to the site, the house provides a playful alternative to contemporary living.
The roof guides the programme of the house in a dynamic relationship to incorporate the workings of a modern dwelling. Two separate interior living areas inhabit the extremities of the residence's arms and are united only by the fluid concrete roof above. Towards the west side of the house are the three bedrooms and two bathrooms. As one moves through the space they encounter the continuous concrete roof, creating changes in height to provide intimacy in the bedrooms, and openness in the living spaces. On top of the roof is a viewing deck.
The Aldrich residence exposes the beauty and lyrical nature of its context. The elegance of one fluid gesture, the roof, animates the inhabitable volumes below. Light collects between the graceful branching extensions of the residence creating a symbiotic dance between the interior and exterior. It is the concrete roof that guides the project; it provides volume, movement, and continuity throughout.
|
