The house is for a retiree whose children have grown and are occasional guests. The rear and one long elevation of the detached house looks into neighbouring houses, while the front faces the west and a hard streetscape. The fourth elevation on the other long side has more pleasant views of a field across a road. 

A concrete shell wraps around the structure of the house, following the trapezoidal shape of the house which narrows from front to back. All the 3 ‘bad’ sides are relatively solid, shielding the house from the western side and neighbours. On the ‘good’ side, the house is completely open, offering views to the open space. The house is also perforated at the top with a slanting concrete screen, offering shade to the glass façade and at the same time revealing greenery thrusting through the perforations.

A counterpoint to this precise geometry of the concrete shell and screen, are a series of curvilinear terraces. They start as the roof of the car porch, and sinuously curve its way to the side. Other terraces at different levels take on the theme, to create a lush outdoor green space overhanding the pool and outdoor terraces. At the entrance, a bonsai tree sits amidst a water feature, surprising the visitor behind the concrete wall.

The project reimagines how nature and architecture can relate to each other. Architecture is man-made, geometric and precise. Nature is organic, soft and flowing. They are brought together in a weaving interplay of forms. It allows nature to flourish, outgrow and overtake its host.