FOREST RETREAT
Located in the magical peninsula of Samaná, Dominican Republic is being visualized, a self-sustained dwelling that harnesses energy from nature and distributes along the project.
As for the barn, a rectangular subtraction on the terrain allows higher roof on the lower ground floor, which is being used for the farmworking spaces, and other administrative and social activities are being left to the main access ground level on the upper side.
Up on the eastern region of the property, a bay shaped border of dense vegetation indicates the position of the house and the farm, giving the opportunity of capturing the contrasting qualities of the site, from greenscapes of fertile land framing the sea, to lush jungle-like surroundings providing a deep shadow across the day.
Visitors that are in the mood for a walk, upon visiting the farm, could be invited to the house. When walking towards it, you can see the architecture emerging from afar as elongated stone walls that are almost completely hidden by vegetation and climber plants, then a mysterious pathway that penetrates the forest appears.
When going through it, 50 meters walk precedes the front gate, allowing visitors to submerge into a different atmosphere to then be released upon entering the gate. Then, an architecture that was once hidden into the forest now reveals as a series of stone planes that embraces vegetation and gardens, guiding the user to the main entrance, one that holds all tension down on the foyer by having a mellow skylight, and releases it upon taking 4 steps into the pool courtyard.
When circling though the interior of the house, visitors can sense both interior and exterior and these sensations cycle through the experience of the house, that is because all spaces are separated but connected by a wooden veranda that floats over the sloped terrain and allows air and nature blend into the architecture.
When looking to the outside, users can sense extension of walls and dim lighting cubes far away, inviting the users to walk by and stop in one of the gazebos, that aim to give the opportunity to pause and create moments around spaces that are beautiful just by how they embrace nature.
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