The juxtaposition of existing rugged textures against refined new ones sets up a dialogue of differences. Roughhewed natural woods are reflected in highly polished glass while figured stone slabs rest on metal-trimmed, lacquered cabinets; both of these examples serve as subtle allusions to unfettered forms of nature contrasted by culturally refined handcraft.

The colors used in the home are derived from the immediate landscape and subliminally extend the outside indoors.

The wide plank oak flooring is held away from the perimeter wall by an oil-rubbed bronze trough, and surrounds the living spaces much like a moat, giving the impression of space beyond. The ceiling is pulled away to reinforce this idea, and to underscore the ceiling’s function as canopy. These two gestures are nods to the great landscape designer, Gertrude Jekyll who used a small brick waterway to separate wilderness from cultivated landscape.

To realize the metaphor of a pavilion within a garden, we pull the living spaces away from the building edge and introduce freestanding millwork structures to help re-envision the interior as a meandering landscape. “Rooms” within this open floorplan are delineated both by the row of over-sized cast iron columns and in the placement of furnishings, which form a loose chain of independent set-pieces and backdrops for daily life.

The pavilion is both a private retreat, an impromptu stage, and a glowing light source within the loft. Inspired by early twentieth century German and Russian avant-garde set design each room of the pavilion can be used as theatrical tableau accessible from both the front and rear of the structure. The walls are translucent, combining an assembly of laminated glass and fiber-entrained resin to form a scrim that reacts to both natural light and controlled illumination. Color temperature of the panels, when lit from the interior, reflects the predominant color of the room allowing for dynamic silhouettes or full illumination of the individuals behind the scrim.

Pavilion surfaces are highly active in all light conditions. When illuminated from within, they transmit soft silhouettes, animating the loft from its core while supplementing daylight.

Reflections in the pavilion glass mirror the south facing windows and capture light and exterior views deep within the deep single-story envelope.

To the side the kitchen island remains exposed to view to support gatherings while the primary working space can be shrouded from view by sliding screens along the length of the wall.