101
Prof. Finley
Projecting the _______ House, Spring 2011

Juncheng Yang
ON&OFF House

ON&OFF House is a domestic house located at an imaginary site in Houston. The design interprets the concept of ON&OFF by creating binary conditions in the house, while still bearing in mind its requirements of comfort and functionality as a living space.

The specially designed placement of different spaces sets up the first binary condition that reflects the concept of ON&OFF. There are two staircases attached to the front and the back façades, and each staircase only leads people to certain rooms. In other words, these two staircases not only control spaces, but also define spaces. The front staircase leads people to public spaces, while the back staircase only gives access to private spaces on the other side of the house. The front staircase connects the public living room, dining room, and public leisure area, while the back staircase connects workspace, private living room and bedrooms. In this way, spaces within this house are assigned to two parts in general –public and private.

The other “ON&OFF” effect comes from the combination of openness and closure on the facades. Spaces are designed to open to either the front or the back according to functions. While public spaces open to the front, private spaces open to the back for privacy. By this means, the “ON&OFF” effect is evident on the exterior of the house. In addition, the interiors of the public spaces are treated with rough finish material, whereas the private spaces are covered with smooth material. Such a nuance indicates the difference of two types of space. Nevertheless, people would not easily discover the subtle difference until they have carefully experienced the house.