folding surface

We had already built four town houses for the same client on the neighbouring site, as seen here, the next step was developing town houses to the north of the previous houses. This time the site was more spacious, and had room for seven town houses.

Various organization structures were tested, but in order to maximize light, view, sun and privacy, and to shelter the recreational zones from traffic and noise, the obvious solution was to divide the houses on two rows, with living areas and outdoor recreational zones to the south of the rows, and entrance and parking to the north. The units are shifted slightly to create zones in front of the houses that are sheltered both in terms of wind and of privacy, with a backdrop of mural walls to collect the heat from the sun, a necessity for outdoor recreation in all Norwegian seasons.

The ground floor contains the most public functions, such as living room, dining and kitchen. First floor is the bed- and bathroom floor, in addition to a lounge zone that opens up to the living room below. This room can serve as a second living room or be converted into a bedroom. The top floor has a spacious terrace, living room areas, and a small kitchen plus bed- and bathroom. This floor can be used as a separate bedsit, with its own entrance by stairs down to the ground, or as a parents’ zone, a grandparents or teenager section or just as a main living room with guest bedroom.

Architectually, the houses are shaped as cubes of plastered light expanded concrete bricks. Cuts in the volume reveals large glass areas or wood panelled fields, giving the impression of a brick skin that opens to let the light in or to reveal an underlying wood core. The roof ridge crosses diagonally across the volume, allowing for necessary height in façade zones and also emphasizing the impression of a folding building skin, enveloping around the core.

Sadly, the project was altered before construction and is built in a different form.