Three Masses Cascade Down the Sloping Land of Cascading House

The project is designed as the second home from the client’s main house in Jakarta. The client requests for a simple house with four bedrooms, living area, and service area that embodies a functional and comfortable living.

The house concept is derived from the condition that the project sits on a sloping land with three-metre difference. The site is divided into three levels in which the three main programs are placed: service and garage on the highest level of the site, the living area on the middle, and the private spaces on the lowest. The three masses cascade down the site, thus giving the term Cascading House.

Two courtyards are inserted between three masses to provide light and air inside. These courtyards become essential features for the house as they create transitional spaces between masses and levels. The skylights on entry area, stairs, and various rooms are provided to invite natural sunlight inside spaces lacking openings. The feature later creates varying rays and shadows as the day passes, naturally telling the passage of time inside the house.

A reflecting pool is added adjacent to the living room to bring cooler air into the house. This utilises the sloping characteristic of the site to make the water flows down and create a waterfall, constantly creates splashing sound of water throughout the house.

As the house follows the topography of the site, it does not alter the form of the land. Thus, it gives birth an architecture that respects the existing condition. The house uses concrete and wood as the main materials. Through simplicity, the continuity of materials creates a harmonious spatial experience throughout the building.

The house is characterised with 1.1×2.2 metres concrete pattern that envelopes the whole building inside out. The pattern drives the way the masses are arranged vertically throughout the site. The concrete is also placed so that it continuously wraps the building from the first mass all the way to the third mass. As the concrete pattern should be casted on site by wrapping the wall inside out, it became the most challenging part during the construction process. Later, this was sorted out through rigorous approach by drawing every wall elevations and constant communication between the architect and contractor.