The actual front of the building is located a few steps behind the street view, made of large glass windows instead of walls, that make it look completely bare. Slowly allowing the visitor to adapt to the exposed interior of the house, the patio created between the two façades has been dubbed a“bridge”by the architect, an in-between space shared by the two intertwined environments – namely that of the indoors and outdoors. Private and public, exposed but protected, the patio gives you time to make the transition gradually and organically. 

This is a project that allows for a play between light and shadow, discretion and invitation. Stepping inside, one comes across a small indoor garden next to the garage, and an entrance hall that feels like a small wooden box, offering the cozy and inviting feel of a warm womb. In a game of extreme contradictions, the elevating sensation created by the very tall ceiling in the living room and the light coming in from the large windows make for a very inviting space that is impossible to ignore. The double-height space creates an open core around which every area of the house is linked - even the garage can be integrated through moving walls and doors. Around the living area, many different rooms resembling ship containers are stacked one on top of the other, in varying levels and shapes, to create the multiple volumes of an industrial environment. Washed, however, with white paint and featuring basic elements in warm wood, they are magically turned it into a habitable haven.

A wide staircase connects the living room to the master bedroom, complete with a bathroom and study, both located on the top floor. Like a perfect game of Tetris, the children’s bedroom falls right on top, with the area above the bathroom creating a small inner loft, inside the room. Every one of these blocks/rooms has equal claims to light and views, as their position allows for visual contact between multiple areas of the house and offers each of them the chance to relate to the fully glazed back façade which overlooks a private garden.

In direct reference to the industrial architecture it pays tribute to, the pitched roof of the Arch House is coated with zinc sheets as are the façades, while the floors, both interior and exterior, feature beautiful gray porcelain tiles. Even the bathroom shares the same“subway smoke”coloured tiles, while pine wood flooring is used for the rest of the interior. Unfolding as a brilliant game between exposure and sanctuary, the combination of industrial inspirations with articulate transparencies create a dramatic urban setting.