House of Concrete Walls / TRAANSPACE

Design concept – We started by rethinking the issue of living by moving away from the usual house style. While creating spaces that create a seamless connection between the interior and exterior was important, it was important to anchor them together. This led to the idea of ​​two exposed concrete walls, placed orthogonally together. To confirm their strong presence, the walls also guide the spatial structure of the house. The rippling effect created on them gives them a soft texture to a less rigid look. Sitting there boldly, the house is conceived as a limited building with an upper floor that opens freely to the front garden. In order to emphasize the connection with the outside and create a feeling of warmth in the interior spaces, the house is fitted with large openings and skylights, all of which provide a play of light and shadow inside.

Spatial Organization – A deep recess on the north side serves as a large garden and parking area, with relatively traditional steps surrounded by concrete walls on both sides that guide the user inside the house. A large flow of glass adjacent to the main door and skylight above bathed the entrance foyer in daylight. While on one side of the entrance there is a common living room that opens to a small garden deck, the family living room on the other side opens to a large garden and a large deck. With its floor-to-ceiling light bars, it perfectly frames the view of the garden and the circular cutout in the ceiling that hosts the Champa tree. Along the southwest corner of the house are the guest and parents bedrooms, both of which enjoy an outdoor space with plantings.

A central corridor that allows movement around the house leads the user to a double-height courtyard lit by floods of light from a large round skylight and glazed wall. The concrete coffee counter in the middle of the courtyard is designed for the customer, who is a coffee connoisseur. Standing here, one gets an uninterrupted view of the living room and the garden beyond. Through the punctures made in the concrete wall, the courtyard, as well as the dining area, the living room, the deck, and the garden, all become one continuous space.

A floating concrete staircase with a smooth handrail placed along the courtyard wall leads to the upper level. It has two children’s bedrooms with built-in beds, a master bedroom and a gym, all connected by a terrace overlooking the garden below. Continuing the theme of cutouts to bring in light, the master bedroom features a tall skylight on its west wall and built-in chairs underneath. The three bathrooms are also enlivened throughout the day by the incoming light from the skylights placed above.

Light as an element – What is an empty space? It is only with their cooperation that we can have a design experience. Light is an important feature of a home and plays an important role in the way a person experiences it. We have experimented with different ways of installing the light, be it with skylights, glass enclosures, or a double-height patio area. It beautifully transforms the interior of the day and seasons in a way that almost enhances the user experience. As the light falls on the concrete walls, they beautifully begin to separate themselves in a poetic way.

Furniture and furniture palette – The neutral gray palette of the house that makes up the wall, ceiling and floor makes it appear as one space. To let the space speak for itself, we deliberately kept the interior small and unadorned. Continuing the theme, concrete is used for furniture pieces along with wood to create a warm feeling inside. One can see concrete used in lighting fixtures, furniture such as coffee counter, center table, built-in bed and chairs.

With simple style and basic functionality, this humble residence for a family of three generations defines the way one feels and enjoys the tranquility of nature. It is a home that anchors you and that you want to keep coming back to.