+ Under the oaks

This project was completed in 1998 as a single family house. It consists of a main building with three levels for the owner and his family, and a side building for offices.
Mulitple old and very tall oak trees that we wanted to preserve under any circumstance define this project. Together with the complex topography of the site, emerging water and the wish of the client for many walls to exhibit art on the one hand, and light, view and open plans on the other hand this created a remarkable design challenge.
The project is accessed from the street through natural stone steps leading around two ponds on different levels until the open staircase of the side building is reached. From here, one flight of stairs leads up to the entrance courtyard between the two buildings. It is here where the tallest oak tree is still standing. A filigrane bridge is suspended between the two buildings.
The following main building is organized on three levels, with entrance and childrens' rooms on the lowest level, the main living area with access to pool, terrace and garden on the second level and the master bedroom on the third level. Each level is organized along an axis that sits parallel to the slope of the mountian. In the main level, the library is organized along this axis, providing reading niches to contemplate over a book or a painting. The adjacent windows direct your view to the outside, over the city or into the green crown of an oak tree.