Basarb Residence

A lakeside cottage, the Basarb house is wrapped in the myth of fairytale. The client’s desire was a “storybook house”: one you may think confined to romantic literature, but to us possible, albeit with enough imagination. To us, the poetic image was something modest and unpretentious. The expression needed to capture the simplicity of a child’s storybook, but with an authentic, believable depth. The design required particular layering to bring the fullness of the fantasy. At the largest scale of building massing, irregularity brings out the whim of imagination. Peaks of different sizes create an undulating landscape for a roof, in which the wrapping eaves miraculously extend and soften its flowing shape. Several chimney stacks punctuate the draped roof, extending its earthly, elemental character. Authentic stone and stucco continue this imagery down onto the lower portion of the building, rooting it to reality. Finally, important details such as window shutters, planter boxes, timber framing, and the wandering walkway, all solidify the storybook charm.