The Fall House
In a scarcely known, typically overcrowded, yet mystical area of the california coast along big sur, san francisco-based studio fougeron architecture has completed a single family residence on an almost impossible sloped site butting up against the pacific ocean. The fall house possesses all the expected trappings of a typical residence: three bedrooms, kitchen, dining, living and office areas- organized within a linear transparent construction broken up in section next to a 250-foot drop to the almost non-existent beach below. what seems like an ordinary structure from the images provided proves to be a rather complex and unexpected form. Half of the house is cantilevered due to the challenging properties of the site, but also in an effort to preserve the beautifully harsh environment.
Two solid volumes are connected by a transparent library/den, stepping down in a series of tiers, so that from the top of the structure one can see clear down to the lowest level in an unobstructed space. Apart from the visual vibrancy of the scheme, the organization also offers natural ventilation. Employing a heat stack effect, automated shutters constantly filter hot air out of the upper-most volume, therefore sucking in colder air from the lower areas.
source: designboom
images: ©joe fletcher