breezeways, terraces, outdoor rooms, and the
folding in and out of the architecture as one
moves through the house is really the heart of
the idea for this home," notes Montalba.
A structure of such mass might well appear
heavier were it not for the generous expression
of glass, which offers the entire composition a
kind of weightlessness. More relevant to this
floating effect, however, is that the house is
cantilevered to appear as if it is hovering above
the site. One also considers the intentional
contrast in materials—a skin of hard and nearly
black concrete panel compared with an interior
of light golden warmth of the plywood in the
natural tone of the landscape—"intended to
express [the] intensity and position the building
in stark contrast to its site and landscape," notes
Montalba. Each material relates to the scenery.
A signature of the design is the flow of the
entry space, which is ingeniously sequenced
for an experience. One approaches the house
from below, noting how the uppermost volume
nearly hangs off its edge, then passes under the
A
R
C
H
I
T
E
C
T
U
R
E
+
D
E
S
I
G
N
12.13.24 | DIGS.NET 53
