Located in the middle of a fig orchard, the house zig-zags between the existing trees, while the main living spaces are raised to the the first floor above the level of potential flood waters.
The house is integrated into its setting through its form and the contemporary use of simple, traditional and local materials. The ground floor remains entirely open, providing a long shaded undercroft, while the open plan living areas on the first floor float above the field and its occasional floodwaters at the height of the fig branches. The living areas include two bedrooms separated by pivoting doors at the extremes of the house, while the central axis through living dining and working spaces creates an internal view of 40m which continues out across the terraces to the landscape either side of the house.
The building is self-sufficient, generating its own electricity and hot water. With no air conditioning, the house is designed to maximise natural cross ventilation as well as gain the sun’s warmth in winter and provide shade in summer.
