A serene domestic retreat embodying the essence of an enclosed garden. The Philippines House, designed by John Pawson, is a masterful interpretation of the hortus conclusus or enclosed garden. The architectural composition is reminiscent of a cloister, where spaces are meticulously arranged to reflect themes of scale, axis, rhythm, and repetition. The design prominently features the geometries of squares and rectangles, expressed through varying line weights, creating a harmonious visual language. The spatial program of the house juxtaposes openness with intimacy, light with shade, and public with private realms. This careful allocation fosters instinctive movement patterns, seamlessly integrating them into the house's fabric. The landscape elements, distilled to a single tree and a plane of water, echo the formal simplicity of a cloister garden, while the kitchen garden and orchard subtly reference the self-contained world of a medieval monastery.

Design Highlights

Cloister-like spatial arrangement emphasizing scale and repetition Geometrical focus on squares and rectangles Integration of openness and intimacy in spatial programming Minimalist landscape with a single tree and water plane Evocation of medieval monastic gardens

Key Facts