Hartland House

In this climate the roof does more work than the wall, so the design starts there. Two large horizontal planes — one at first-floor level, one at the roof — cantilever well beyond the rooms below, and the house is effectively hung between them. The overhangs are deep enough that the glazing can run floor to ceiling on both levels without cooking the interior, which is precisely what allows the elevation to be so open. A void is then cut through the upper slab and a tree planted up through it, bringing light and green into the middle of the plan rather than leaving them at the perimeter. Pale brick, timber slats and a textured stone base give the horizontal bands enough weight that the composition never reads as merely light.