architecture

The building’s hull is planned by com­put­er-aid­ed engi­neer­ing; its slen­der­ness bely­ing its rigid­i­ty and resist­ing the dynam­ic draw­er loads, its per­for­mance pro­tect­ing the envi­ron­ment despite large open­ings. Pre­fab­ri­cat­ed as a well-insu­lat­ed bal­loon frame, the struc­ture — along with the sand­stone and the con­crete foun­da­tions, deliv­ers a sus­tain­able, low-ener­gy build­ing. The iden­ti­cal wall and roof con­struc­tion, punc­tured by 52 high per­for­mance win­dows, is clad with alu­mini­um out­side and dual cement board inside, all equal­ly coat­ed in mono­chrome colour. The gable wall, the inter­nal cas­ket, the mechan­i­cal draw­er and the wall cab­i­nets are each built or lined with matt epoxy-coat­ed MDF.  There is occa­sion­al wal­nut, apple and olive veneer. Trades and hand­i­crafts fea­ture in stonemason’s recess­es for flights of stairs and orna­ment. Wash­basins come from the pot­tery, ban­is­ters from the smithy and a stone tub/boat from the sculp­tor. Togeth­er with oth­er items and orna­ments, the qui­et geome­tries are mel­lowed in response to an archi­tec­tur­al need for func­tion­al ele­gance and aura.