CHARLEROI, BELGIUM (1979)
Taking advantage of its site-a twenty-acre estate which is completely flat except for a ravine this house is built into the earth so that its largest windows open south onto the ravine. Masses are defined by geometric volumes and earth berms that shield and contain the house to ensure a pleasant temperature year round. Texture and ornament are provided by grass, plantings, and the moiré patterns created by the window frames. The design relates to the earth and is rooted in the architectural tradition of the Low Countries. Freestanding façades of double lattice are covered with ivy in order to maintain a discreetly low profile when viewed from afar. As one approaches the house, the full height of the façade emerges, giving it a majestic presence. The house and garden are conceived as a single, indivisible entity; diverse architectural elements are treated as integral parts of the landscape to suggest an expansive domain of ever-changing perspectives.
