TWINS: HOUSES IN 5 PARTS BY WILLIAM O'BRIAN JR

 

 

 

 

After a good few days of looking, searching and hunting - I have finally found the project I mentioned in my previous post.  It took ages, as I could not remember what it was called - but finally I managed to find it on Yatzer.

"Twins is a project located in upstate New York that commenced in 2009 and was completed in 2011. It consists of two vacation houses on one plot of land constructed in five parts for two brothers and their families. The conceptual thinking behind these structures is truly impressive. Great detail has been given to the forms in relation to the landscape. Each house is made out of five shapes, which have been minimally dissected and rotated to fit within the plot. The mathematical principle of “dissection” states that any two regular polygons with equal areas can be divided into sets of similar shapes; “minimal dissection” is the pursuit of the fewest number of subdivisions in each polygon. A regular six-sided polygon and a regular four-sided polygon contain the same five shapes—each are made up of the same four trapezoids and one triangle. The adjacencies between the five shapes are different within each of the regular polygons, as are their orientations relative to the outer perimeters of the polygons. Translated into spatial divisions in an architectural plan, these fixed arrangements prompt sectional-flexibility."

"Moving away from the structures and looking at the surroundings, you instantly notice how these two houses have been designed accordingly retaining the relation between architecture & the environment. Water collection is achieved through the angled roofs directed to a subterranean piping system between the residences. The agricultural development of the land varies according to the season. With this variation the relation between the two houses also alters according to the height of the plantation, the colour of the landscape and the thickness or bareness of the trees. Everything has been planted, created and designed in order to enforce the communication (direct or none) between the residences according to the particular time of the month. Nature takes a prime role in deciding how much you see of your loving neighbor and when."

Lately I am just drawn to this exact kind of architecture and landscape - minimalist yet thoughtful in design and execution.  The landscape covered in snow - vast windows perfectly frames the beauty of the surrounding areas - and the most basic of furniture.

Dreamy it is, beautiful it is, well designed it most certainly is.  The starkness of the exterior is purposefully striking in the wintry surroundings.  I'd love to see more of the interiors and how the space has been furnished throughout.   And I'd love to see it in the varying seasons.

http://yatzer.com/Twins-Houses-in-Five-Parts-by-William-O-Brien-Jr