A Precise Distance

Residential House and Guesthouse on a Hillside

Positioned on the edge of a steep hillside, this architectural project comprises two distinct volumes: a residential house and a guesthouse. These structures present as two-storey buildings towards the city, while reading as single-storey linear forms from the garden side. The garden, complete with a swimming pool, pergola, and dense vegetation, serves as a spatial counterpart to the architecture, enhancing the overall experience.

The design ensures privacy and connectivity by separating the residential house and guesthouse with a space that links the upper garden to the lower slope. Living spaces are strategically placed on the upper floor, with private bedrooms embedded into the terrain below. The guesthouse features a roof light, and the main house includes a sunken courtyard, both facilitating the penetration of daylight into hillside-oriented rooms.

The floor plan is organized sequentially with primary and secondary spaces. Main living areas are enclosed by exposed concrete walls and fully glazed facades, offering views of both the city and garden. Service spaces are positioned in between, characterized by lower ceiling heights. The structural system, composed of concrete wall panels and floor slabs, allows for open interiors with fluid transitions to the exterior, while maintaining robust lateral enclosures.

Externally, the buildings are clad with ventilated vertical charred timber slats, creating a contrast with the raw internal concrete surfaces. This duality between solidity and openness defines the architecture, emerging from a careful layering of materials and structural elements.

Design Highlights

• Independent volumes for residential and guesthouse

• Integration with steep hillside and garden

• Sequential floor plan with open interiors

• Use of exposed concrete and charred timber

• Daylight optimization through roof light and sunken courtyard

Key Facts