The Ideal Villa

Project idea

The site is located just north of Portree, Skye in the highlands of Scotland. The site slopes down towards the south, which allows the villas larger facade to take advantage of the solar radiation, specifically in the winter time. The villa is close enough to the city to take advantage of its amenities, but segregated enough to feel a connection to nature.

Project description

The proposal aims to house a family of 4-5 in a quaint, yet comfortable environment. Different tones of wood lead the materiality to a natural feeling. At the core of the villa is the outdoor courtyard which branches out into the patio to give a gathering place for the residents and their guests. This courtyard can be blocked off by two moving walls which turns the living spaces into a more private space. The walls move along metal ridges that are implemented in the decking and can be pulled by a simple knotted rope from inside the courtyard. In the interior there is another courtyard that helps branch (no pun intended) the two floors together. While moving up and down the stairs to each level you can look in to this courtyard from all four sides.

Technical information

The villa expresses its structure through the wooden frame, which instead of being hidden, is actually accentuated by pushing the beams to the exterior spaces. This in turn creates an outdoor connection in conjunction with the extended sloped roof, allowing residents to gain full advantage of the courtyard/patio space. Along with the structure, the mullions, walls, and windows all follow a rectilinear grid, adding to the consistency and simplicty of the interior spaces. The villa is raised on its southern end and aims to minimise its impact on the natural landscape. Thus, the structural components (columns, beams, load-bearing walls, etc) are prefabricated separately from the curtain walls, doors, and windows, and then assembled on site for a swift construction process.

Documentation

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