Rachel House

Press Kit

Unique Properties

Rachel House was designed to ensure an open environment for the family to interact and enjoy the central water courtyard on the ground level while maintaining their privacy on the upper floor bedrooms. The clean and modern facade is derived from juxtaposing bedroom cubes where one can enjoy framed views out into the lush oriental-themed landscape garden. The ground floor spaces open into the tranquility of the courtyard and the sound of flowing water.

Dimensions & Packaging

Site area of 1000m2, Building area of 1300m2

Tags

Architecture, Residential, Villa, House, Facade, Modern, Contemporary

Production Technology

Taking inspiration from nature - an earthy yet subtle color palette was proposed. The combination of the earth-colored wood with the natural grey granite creates a unique rhythm throughout the surface of the facade. Large floor to ceiling windows assists tremendously with the ventilation of the spaces according to the weather conditions of the location with ample overhang in necessary places and even vertical walls on the facade for shielding against weather and sunlight.

Design Challenge

The challenge was to create a seamless blend between architecture, interior, and nature. The design essence of the villa had to represent the client's admiration for nature and sustainability. Some of the rocks that were originally part of the site also are seen in the courtyard, making the landscaping more organic and natural. The courtyard of this project is derived from techniques used extensively in southern China, that features an aura of serenity and tranquillity in the courtyard space.

Project Duration

The project started in 2016 and finished in 2020 January in Zhongshan City, China.

Operation Flow

The four-storey villa is designed to embrace a central water garden courtyard. The main idea was to incorporate and align the lifestyle and personalities of the building users with those of the house, hence the introduction of straight lines and symmetrical shapes came into the picture. The clean and modern lines of the exterior reveal the concept of simplicity and subtleness.

Research

The project aims to strike an intricate balance between privacy and social interaction. The building is also designed with multiple perspectives to enjoy the landscape of this courtyard. One of the main features includes the analysis of the technique Enframed Scenery in the Chinese Gardens, where one can enjoy multiple scenic framed perspectives of the courtyard. All the species of trees chosen are as per the Chinese seasonal trees. As a result, the scenery doesn’t remain stagnant all year long but reflects the four major seasons as they occur, further lending to the uniqueness of the house.

Inspiration

The intent was to create a space that would foster family bonding and create an overall warm and welcoming space for the users and their guests. Geometric blocks of different scales work together seamlessly on the facade. These staggered balcony blocks house the main bedrooms that are purposefully designed to overlook the central courtyard garden. The cantilevered balcony structure simultaneously acts as a sun-shading overhang for the ground floor terraces.

Image Credits

Image #1 : Photographer Zhang Chao / CE-ST 2019
Image #2 : Photographer Zhang Chao / CE-ST 2019
Image #3 : Photographer Zhang Chao / CE-ST 2019
Image #4 : Photographer Zhang Chao / CE-ST 2019
Image #5 : Photographer Zhang Chao / CE-ST 2019

Patents

Copyrights belong to Chester Goh, 2019

Colors of Rachel House

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