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in summer, can mostly be opened and act as an
extended indoor / outdoor living area. In winter it
can be more enclosed by sliding the eastern glazed
doors across and opening the operable roof for
winter sun, or closing it all down so that you
effectively have two layers of glazing between the
living areas and the outdoor terrace—effectively
double glazing. The courtyard acts like a daylightfilled cube with glazing on three sides and louvred
light above.
The internal/external courtyard acts as the lungs or
bellows to flush breezes and light throughout.
That’s a simple but highly effective overlay that
makes a huge difference to this house.
KC The operable roof over the courtyard permits
endless light variation and effects to the centre of
the plan. When the roof blades are closed due to
rain the balance of light to the interiors is retained
through a (Viridian) glazed skylight over the central
walkway to the bedrooms. This skylight has ceiling
battens below it to diffuse the light and at night it
can be lit like a lantern. For winter sun we have used
a highlight window on the south of the courtyard
that allows the angled sun rays to penetrate right
through to the dining and kitchen areas.
Isn’t this house the barista coffee, versus the
automatic machine variety. There is a huge
difference. Once you take charge and manage the
roast, grind and make it with care and love, you get
a beautiful coffee. If you just push a button you'll
only ever get, at best, average. Sometimes it just
takes a little extra effort. Here you physically slide
the doors and windows and breathe-in the outside,
rather than flicking the air-conditioner switch.
LC The key to this house is really its simplicity.
Simplicity can still have richness. You can develop a
richness through the way the house is occupied and
its level of operability. ‘Minimal’ can tend to imply a
more fixed state such as: "Don't move that chair or
don’t touch that magazine—you’ve upset my
composition."