House DeDe by OYO Architects is a new private family home situated to protect the existing nature of the surrounding site. Key materials to build the home were salvaged from the broken-down barn on site. Recycled and reused, the barn’s bricks are used to create a volume which inherits the natural authenticity and ‘spirit’ of the site.
Further strengthening the relationship with the land, the architects overlayed the barn’s original rectangular footprint with an additional cross-section. A simple design decision, this cross-section provides additional living spaces with framed views of the garden’s nature.
Upstairs house retains the same rectangular shape as the original barn and accommodates the bedrooms of the children and parents. The architects were also asked to find space for a ‘playroom’ in the upstairs area, which posed a challenge due to limited area. The architects responded by imagining the entire top floor as a space kids could transform by pushing back the walls of their bedrooms and transforming/adapting the upstairs into a large playground space.
Design details such as removing the panelling from light switches and electrical socket ensure nothing disturbs the presence of key materials and the stripped back, naturalistic atmosphere created.
