the branch of physics which studies the behavior and properties of light, including its interactions with matter and the construction of instruments that use or detect it.

Stepping up the rolling hills of this sparse Nebraska landscape, the house sits on the edge of a 100 acre lake. The client, an eyeglass designer, requested an instrument for viewing and to be viewed.

The house is a foreign gesture on the land, terracing up the hill to take advantage of the dramatic views. The concrete plinth is tucked into the hillside with a wood framed cement board clad fragmented form which stands out as a sculpture in the landscape. Closer inspection of the site reveals that the folding ground plane was the inspiration for the folded walls that cant and slide creating spaces and voids that come to life with sunlight. Dancing shadows bring dimension to the exterior as the sun moves around the house. The voids create apertures to allow the sunlight inside and to frame views of the lake and horizon.

Inside a monumental steel stair connects the bedrooms with the living spaces. The main floor is a series of open spaces that allow for cooking, eating, relaxing and working. The main entertaining space is a two story volume with an adjacent terrace that overlooks the lake.

The optic house is an instrument that allows the client to study light and its interaction.