A house on the edge of the precipice

The site holds unparalleled opportunities but also requires a high degree of courage. The plot is a tiny piece of flat land on the top of a disused quarry, on the edge of a 30-metre-high ledge. For geotechnical reasons only the top part could be built upon. In return for the risks involved it offers exquisite views and is maybe the best – but certainly the most exciting – plot of the area. The young client is an extreme sports professional (kite-surf, climbing) and also one of the childhood friends of the architect. The interior designer, Imola Láng, in her civilian life the sister of the client, was very enthusiastic and turned out to be the catalyst of the entire project right from the outset. The house serves as the practical and very functional home for four people: two parents and their two children. The completed project is 100 per cent tailor-made and reflects the way of life and the attitude of the couple living there as much as the creativity of the client and the thoughts of the architects. The creative process and the construction work itself were an exciting combination of detachedness, nonchalance and practicality.