Always House

A spectacular site is both a gift and a problem for new architecture.  The positives are self-evident, the negatives less so, but apparent in single-orientation, glassy boxes which proliferate on such sites.  Aware of this, we were conscious of balancing the canonical attributes of aspect, prospect and refuge without allowing the prospect part to distort the equilibrium of an ideal domestic setting. 

The brief was for a weekender and summer house which would ultimately become a more permanent place of residence.  It had to solve the problem of wheelchair access on a sloping site, it had to be a house with low energy requirements, comfortable in both summer and winter, able to host guests in a relaxed and easy way, provide multiple places to be depending on the location of the sun and prevailing winds and be a house in balance with both a cultivated garden and a wider landscape.