A house with Wind and Water originated from the primitive illustration of residence, the hut on the frontispiece of Marc-Antoine Laugier’s Essai sur l’architecture. It is a container of Tongtou (transparency & permeability) where the surrounding scenery, odor, vapor and wind can pass through. A house with wind & air threading is the starting point of the project. Semper classifies the four elements of the building as the hearth, the roof, the enclosure and the mound. In this small house, I make wind and water as the “hearth”, the primacy of residence. I insert vapor/wind space in between “the roof, the enclosure and the mound” as respiration system. The house can breathe gently and welcome wind and rain.I want to create a circular, warm, permeable, floating, light clay container filled with air and wind, water and ripples, sunlight and shadows, people and life.

The exterior of the house maintains the form of a pitched roof house echoing Malaga context, while the interior is a continuous arcade. The interior chamber provides a sense of primitivity, a metaphor of the cave. I always think of a photo of the Salvatore Fiume clay sculpture studio, the arched ceiling and the curved clay sculptures make up a tranquil, mysterious and even sacred spectacle. Because of the curved form and handmade texture, everything looks soft and gentle. Two strips of light running through the ring extend the mysteriousness and generosity. One comes from the disjointed wall and the base (the mound); the strip light draws shading on the ground. And the height difference of 1.5 meters and the ramp at both ends let the light belt rise from the ground to the eye and down to the ankle again.

Walking around the pool, you can see the light under your feet slowly turns into the bright spectacle in front of you. The other strip light comes from the gap between the wall and the roof, gently pouring from top to bottom of the wall into the pool. The gap brings light as well as wind and rain. The wind dance through from the ankle while the rain drips from the gap of the skylight and shades the wall with the light. Light, wind and rain frequently play and flirt with people. This is a tranquil and intimate ring as a “public” space for people, house and nature.

The central pool becomes the «outlet» of this enclosed ring, reflecting, suggesting and leading to the sky. The wind tunnel-like wall surrounding the pool leads sights up and further into the sky. This water is flush with the line of sight in the living space and studio, suspended in front of the eyes like a mirror art or a dish. The semi-circular platform in front of the water is the starting point and end point of the house. It connects the dining area and the studio, the worldly life and spiritual practice. It is an altar, sitting there you can pray and meditate; you can also idle and sleep. It greets the sun and nonsense.