This residence, nestled in the heart of local coniferous forests, has been designed to enter a friendly dialogue with its surroundings and provide an extended family with a weekend getaway.

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The entire house is a study in the expressive qualities of wood, space and light. Designed as two interlocking volumes, highlighted through the use of contrasting cladding, the leading principle behind the spatial organization is of a 'house within a house'. On the ground level, the 'inner house' contains all auxiliary spaces (kitchen, storage, stairwell, cloakroom, wc and office) and sleeping areas on the first floor. This type of spatial arrangement creates the opportunity to work with longer circulation routes or walkways: the ground floor corridor (see plan) is 'darker' and completely closed to the exterior (lined with built-in shelving, storage, even a reading nook) while the corridor on the first floor is light, airy, offering panoramic views of the surrounding forest. The veranda, a rectangular cut-out from the building mass, frames two views in opposite directions and can be closed or kept open during the warmer days, benefiting from direct access to a semi-open summer kitchen.

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The exterior surfaces are articulated by vertical charred red cedar and natural red cedar wood cladding, deep openings and overhanging eaves. The charring process, also known as shou-sugi-ban (lit. 'burning cypress board), is an ancient Japanese technique that lends a certain dynamic quality to the surface, creating a magnetic visual effect of varying light and colour. These deep, dark tones find balance against the red cedar cladding that dresses the northern façade­­, uplifting each other.

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The interior surfaces of the house reflect the dappled light and shadow of the surrounding woodland. Windows frame the landscape for the interior, creating new, intensified views of the forest setting. The expressive use of wood, space and light aims to create both the feeling of a light, breezy place during the summer months as well as a cosy winter space.  Slatted screens and moveable partitions can be opened in fine weather or closed for shade, privacy and protection. ­­