House D by HHF Architects

For this gently sloping meadow in the countryside outside of Basel, the client requested a residence that would integrate seamlessly into the landscape without a high maintenance garden. The architects responded with a design solution that uses orientation and materiality to optimize social and private spaces in accordance with the client’s request.

The house is rigorously faithful to its part in both section and plan. An interior concrete core allows the edges to be entirely open on the ground level while supporting the cantilevered second floor. On the ground floor, kitchen, dining and living areas are clustered around the concrete core while opening out to a wide wrap-around, wood-decked terrace that serves as an intermediate zone between public and private, outdoor and indoor.

The materials choices and construction details employ similar simplicity and discipline. Walls and floors are concrete with interior quality finishes. Wood trim is used sparsely around windows and doors, matching built-in furniture and second-floor ceilings. All corners and joints are treated with extreme care, both in design and craftsmanship, with frequent use of reveals.

via – Images ©Tom Bisig