Leaf House | Undercurrent Architects

È accarezzata dalle brezze dell’Oceano Pacifico la Leaf House di Undercurrent Architects. Il cottage, realizzato a qualche chilometro da Sydney (Australia), sorge su una scarpata con vista mare e funge da dependance di una residenza privata di più ampie dimensioni.

Tre elementi caratterizzano la casa: la suggestiva copertura dalla forma organica; il piano principale, ospitante le aree comuni della residenza ed il livello semipogeo con gli ambienti più privati e “intimi” del cottage.

La copertura dell’edificio è realizzata attraverso l’impiego di fogli in rame e acciaio sovrapposti, che, specie nei mesi autunnali, creano una sorprendente gioco di riflessi il fogliame del giardino di pertinenza e la natura circostante.

La forma del tetto, simile a quella di una foglia, è studiata per minimizzare il peso della copertura e massimizzare gli spazi interni. Tetto e pareti sono uniti da pannelli in acciaio curvato. A sostenere il tetto sono tubi in acciaio bianco dall’andamento flessuoso, elegantemente intrecciati l’un l’altro come rami di un albero.

Il lato della casa che si affaccia sull’Oceano è “concentrato” in un unico punto di carico, in modo da lasciare libera la vista sul paesaggio. La parte più alta del cottage è sostenuta da un gruppo di sei colonne inclinate.

Il livello principale ha gli interni comunicanti con il giardino. Nelle ore diurne questa zona della casa è illuminata naturalmente grazie alla presenza delle grandi pareti in vetro incolore che descrivono l’intero perimetro dell’edificio. Inoltre le aperture generate dall’intersezione tra le sezioni metalliche del tetto permettono ulteriore afflusso di luce nelle varie aree della casa, prime fra tutte soggiorno, cucina e sala da pranzo (quest’ultima è collocata in posizione attigua a una veranda e a un solarium).

Le aree più private del cottage, in particolare camera da letto, living room e sala lettura, sono inserite nello zoccolo semipogeo in pietra arenaria su cui poggia tutta la casa. Questa porzione dell’edificio sporge parzialmente sulla scarpata dove l’edificio ha sede, per “catturare” luce naturale ed affacciarsi su punti panoramici.

Risultato finale: una relazione osmotica tra paesaggio e struttura



Project Credits:
Undercurrent Architects
Didier Ryan, German Perez-Tavio

Photo credits:
Hugh Rutherford
www.fixedfocus.net


Leaf House is building that allows users to be inside and in-the-garden at the same time. Located on an escarpment overlooking the Pacific Ocean, between rugged native bush and manicured garden, the building is a self contained cottage forming part of a private residence, consisting of a canopy roof over a stone podium and glass enclosed deck.

The site is viewed and experienced in the round; from all sides, above and below. The building design is therefore unique from every aspect, constantly changing as it is moved in and around.

From the house above, the building nestles within the tree line; a series of draped copper roofs reflecting the silhouette of a nearby headland and blending with surrounding foliage. The roof is shaped to minimise bulk while maximising internal volume, a diffuse layering of curved steel panels combining roof with wall. The roof is articulated to provide visual interest from above, reflecting the stepped terracing of the terrain and softening the form and scale of the building. The building outline is further broken up by corrugated surfaces shifting geometry between layers, referencing background ocean patterns.

At garden level, the terrain unfolds below the roof canopy and is shaped as it passes through the building. Traverse views are formed connecting different parts of the garden, blending the interior with the landscape around it. The roof cascades in line with the hill, focusing views towards the beach and forming deep awnings for solar control. Gaps between roof layers open up, permitting light and views to filtrate the interior.

Three retaining terraces define the podium base: an upper level entry, a partially submerged main deck and an excavated lower level.

On the main deck level, the interior is open to the garden. An enclosure of moulded glass forms an undulating wall, softening views and reflections especially when illuminated at night. Daylight filters through the porous roof canopy into open plan living, kitchen and dining areas, bordered by a balcony and sun deck.

Structural support for the roof is a woven and interdependent system of curved beams and columns, working in conjunction with the stressed-skin roof panels. The structure resonates with the energy of garden growth, bringing a sense of sponginess to underline the porous nature of the roof. Towards the ocean, it is bunched into a single load point, releasing panoramic views and freeing the perimeter. Uphill, it is stabilised by a spread of six inclined columns, driven to ground like rain. Entry at the upper level provides an elevated perspective in the midst of the canopy roof.

The lower level is excavated into the terrain, partially protruding from the hill to capture light and views. It acts a thermal sink counterbalancing the more exposed upper levels, and contains introspective rooms such as library, bedroom and private living area. A stair void carries light and air into underground areas.

The project entailed design and building roles as methods were improvised to achieve high technical complexity within cost constraints. Complex steel and glass forms were produced from standardised templates: glass being formed from 1 mould, flipped rotated and inverted to get apparent variations from a repetitive shape; roof panels derived from 2 templates with variable edges; beams to a series of set radiuses. Steel fabrication used industrial boat building methods with broad tolerances, so the structure was rapid to make, albeit with a rougher, hand-made quality rather than sharp precision normally associated with building steel. This limited site work to rapid assembly of big parts, controlling costs and contractual works so that tasks were managed by a small team.