CONICAL CUBE HOUSE
A reinterpretation of the Cape Cod post war affordable housing type, the Conical Cube House is compact in plan at just over 1,100 square feet, but uses section to provide the feeling of a large living area. The concept of the traditional dormer is concealed within the volume of the cube by using conical formed skylights. The skylights are strategically placed in the bedrooms to allow morning sun to wash down the ceiling. In the living space they allow light to wash a large blank wall and down the vertical wooden hearth. The skylights in the main living area also function as a space divider by creating a passive boundary between the full double height living space and the second level office. The wooden vertical element is a reinterpretation of the hearth, a compact space such as this can’t always afford the luxury of a large fireplace. In the conical cube house the vertical hearth piece conceals a small powder room on the first level and a laundry closet on the second. The strong exterior form conceals the dynamic spaces that take place on the interior, creating a sense of discovery upon entry. The simple exterior form also provides an anchor for the corner site in which it sits, but also provides the project the advantage of what some may say is a generic form so that it may be easily integrated into other urban fabrics.
The cross section below allows you to see how the space of the house is exaggerated by tightly packing one side of the house and allowing for a double height living space. The vertical wooden core is also visible, concealing a first level powder room and second level laundry closet.
The axon drawings below clearly show the spatial organization of the house. The axon on the left shows the open and lofted main living area, while the axon on the right shows the dense packing of bedrooms, washrooms, kitchen, and dining. This type of organization allows the space to feel much larger than the allotted 1,100 sq ft provided. From these drawings you are also able to see how the conical forms relate to their selected program. The conical forms also provide another reading of the density within the project.
