Design Solution: The adjoining pavilion, which floats above a concrete basin that doubles as a shaded patio, extends from the main house at a single point: the landing of a staircase. From the landing, a glazed hallway leads into the new structure, which contrasts with the traditional house in just about every way possible, from its materiality and expression to form. Due to the limitations of the plot on its northern boundary (there is a ramp shared with a neighboring structure), as well as the client’s request for an energy-efficient volume, the pavilion and its spaces (such as a lofted area) are organized around a centrally located wood-burning stove. Given its location on the site and orientation, the pavilion is intended to be primarily used in the winter.

Photo © Imagen Subliminal

Structure and Materials: Except for the foundation and the exposed reinforced concrete basin, all construction used so-called “dry” materials. The envelope comprises cross-laminated-timber panels, exposed inside but jacketed with thermo-lacquered sheet metal mounted on a layer of insulation. The floating pavilion’s soffit, in contrast, features a surface of suspended tongue-and-groove planks.

Additional Information
Completion date: April 2024
Site size: 0.175 acres
Total construction cost: $321,000
Client/Owner: Withheld

Photos © Imagen Subliminal

Drawings courtesy Valdivieso Arquitectos; click to enlarge