Arc House

CONCEPT / AIM
Our aim was to produce design a that created a pleasing and inviting geometry and to include enough detail to engender a sense of intimacy, security and belonging. The front of the house to be minimal in size to provide the practical and social interface with the community, allowing a larger more private and green relaxing garden to the rear with connections to the cycling and pedestrian network. The house we have designed comprises 3 floors and maximises use of the whole structural volume of the house and incorporates the latest smart green and sustainable technologies. Our vision was to create a more romantic geometry and roofscape within a treed setting.

EXTERNAL DESIGN AESTHETIC
The arching roofs are the the dominating geometry of the house and are formed with 200mm thick curved SIP panels which sit directly on the aircrete walls and gables. The curving roof form dominates the streetscape and allows as much daylight as possible to reach street level and also allows less obstructed views of the sky. The coating is a metallic zinc, although many variations could be considered, perhaps even synthetic thatch. A metallic coating would reflect even more daylight, enhancing a brighter street environment. The front gable features a stepped elevation that has wood clapper-board panels that subtly overhang the lower one to give an increased sense of enclosure and intimacy, reminiscent of a barn giving a rural reference in an otherwise urban environment. The other materials chosen are a white acrylic render and a small panel of handmade bricks
adjacent to the front door to enhance the sense of detail, texture and warmth.