Dornob | Design Ideas Daily

Block House: Deformed Facade for Views & Visual Interest

Posted: 01 Jul 2013 10:00 AM PDT

Floating ribbons of concrete wrap a glass volume within, periodically pushed in, out or down to create a connection between the main volume of the house and the surrounding forest.

The interstitial space becomes a deck that has different degrees of enclosure based on the deformations made to the shell, allowing residents to look out or seek shade on different sides and levels of the building.

As part of the Chinese International Practical Exhibition of Architecture (CIPEA) project, this home by Zhang Lei of AZL Architects embodies different traditions found in historical Chinese homes.

These culturally contextual measures include carefully controlled and framed views of surrounding landscapes and a balance between private and public life.

In terms of architectural referents, the home is essentially Modernist at its core – a series of relatively open-plan layouts surrounded by simple glass – with the exterior concrete layers adding a contemporary touch.