W House II Expansion: Balancing Function & Views

Home Expansion: Balancing Function and Scenic Views

This project represents an extension of the original residence, W House I, driven by the growing demands of daily use. The owner intended to move into the new house as a primary residence, while converting the original home into a guest house, adding a new functional layer to the overall spatial composition.

Design Challenges

The main design challenges stemmed from the owner’s desire to create a single-story home where all family members could easily see each other and share daily activities. This requirement emphasized the importance of designing open, visually connected spaces that naturally encourage continuous family interaction.

Preserving Views and Nature

At the same time, the mountain view from the rooftop of the original house was a key priority for the owner. Thus, the project was designed to maintain the surrounding natural vistas and allow residents to enjoy the lush scenery. Additionally, a suitable space was allocated for two domesticated cows to walk and graze freely, reflecting a thoughtful integration of natural and environmental elements into the site.

Exterior view of W House II showing the elevated single-story structure and its integration with the surrounding natural landscape.

Design and House Elevation

The design responds to these needs by elevating the single-story house to a height of seven meters, aligning it with the level of the original rooftop.

Impact of Two Levels and Open Spaces

The house appears to be lifted on columns, creating the visual impression of a two-story structure. Thanks to this approach, the ground floor was left as a garden and open space where the two cows can move freely and interact with the surrounding natural environment.

Integration of Function and Aesthetics

This strategy not only provides diverse functional areas but also enhances visual connection with nature, allowing residents to continuously enjoy the mountain view. It demonstrates how architecture can successfully balance practical needs and aesthetic expression at the same time.

The Terrace and Panoramic View

The upper floor features a terrace that wraps around the entire house, offering a 360-degree panoramic view. Residents can walk around and enjoy the shifting scenery throughout the day, enhancing their connection to the surrounding environment and enriching their overall living experience.

The Pool and Open Spaces

The pool was elevated to the upper floor, becoming part of the relaxation experience while enjoying the stunning view. This approach maintains a seamless integration between outdoor and indoor elements.

Structural Design and Privacy

The house incorporates two layers on the upper level:

Inner Layer: A glass enclosure that allows natural light to fill the interior while maintaining visual connection with the outside.
Outer Layer: A covered platform with adjustable terraces that can be opened or closed depending on privacy needs.

The entire structure is supported by two massive concrete walls, while the floor slab was built using a waffle slab system, an advanced engineering solution that addresses technical challenges and provides notable benefits in strength and design flexibility.

Materials Used: Blending Beauty and Function

The design of W House II relies primarily on raw concrete, which flows smoothly from the exterior to the interior to form wall surfaces, enhancing material continuity and creating a cohesive architectural identity.

Interior Colors and Tones

The interior ambiance focuses on warm tones, providing a comfortable and welcoming environment for the residents.

Use of Wood and Stone

Natural maple wood was selected for its distinctive grain pattern and its remarkable harmony with concrete. In the kitchen, Green India stone was used to add a contemporary touch that balances nature and modernity.

Central Spaces: The Heart of the Home

In the central living area, an oversized sofa was designed to allow flexible seating arrangements that accommodate various activities. In this way, the space becomes the heart of the home, where family members can gather and interact throughout the day, reinforcing a sense of connection and togetherness.

✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight

While the expansion of W House II presents a clear architectural approach to linking functionality with scenic views, particularly by elevating the living spaces to the upper floor and leaving open areas below, this direction raises several architectural questions about the project’s ability to maintain a long-term balance between form and evolving needs. Elevating the house to this height offers panoramic views and strong visual connectivity with nature, yet it may limit the future flexibility of the ground floor, especially since it functions entirely as an open space.

Moreover, the extensive reliance on raw concrete reinforces material unity, but it introduces challenges related to thermal insulation and interior comfort in hot or humid climates, issues that may require additional, non-visible solutions within the project. Similarly, the use of two layers on the roof, one glass and the other adjustable, ensures privacy control, but it also adds operational and maintenance complexity over time.

From a family-planning perspective, the project succeeds in creating open social spaces; however, the high degree of openness may make it difficult to achieve individual privacy as time passes, especially as family needs evolve or the number of residents changes.

Despite these remarks, the project remains an example of how to study the relationship between a site’s natural elevation and the requirements of the view, an approach architects can benefit from when dealing with land featuring height variations. It also offers a model for elevating primary functions to a higher level to achieve better visibility, a strategy that can be further developed if supported by more diverse environmental and privacy-oriented solutions.