Courtyard House

The client wanted a humble, elegant house to live in where they can feel a connection to nature.
We designed this house with a U-shaped plan, to ensure every room has a view of the central courtyard and the koi pond.
The aim was to make the most of the connection between indoor and outdoor spaces.
The house's entrance leads into a simple hallway, where a large window directly in front frames a view of the courtyard and the central tree.
The use of clean lines, minimal decoration, and the incorporation of functional elements into the structure lend the house a simplicity that recalls historical Japanese architecture.
The concrete pathway wrapping the building is a contemporary reinterpretation of the Japanese ‘Engawa’ that provides an outdoor connection between the front and rear of the house.
The house is screened from the road with Perforated metal mesh. The mesh will create e a symphony of light and shadow inside the music room/library. And the light will be diffused gently and widely into the room, brightening all of it without creating a glare.
Bedrooms are separated from the more public areas by a glazed corridor which can be used for displaying art.
The property's external envelope combines brick-clad walls with large glazed sliding doors that open the living spaces up to the outdoors.
The white brick walls are complemented by exposed concrete floors and wooden surfaces that contrast with the crisp, white internal walls and ceiling. 
Sage green was used for the kitchen cabinets and some of the joinery items to bring a hint of nature inside the house.