Nesting Boxes: Houses With Homes of Their Own
Framing one box with another creates a whole new style of modern indoor-outdoor living
Houzz Contributor. I am an architect and writer living in New York City. I have Bachelor of Architecture and Master in Urban Planning degrees, and over ten years experience in architectural practice, split between Chicago and NYC. Currently I'm focused on writing and online pursuits. My daily blog can be found at http://archidose.blogspot.com
Houzz Contributor. I am an architect and writer living in New York City.... More »
The standard approach for creating buildings and defining their spaces is the straightforward erection of walls on floors, capped by ceilings and roofs. This approach leads to exteriors and rooms whose definition is clear, but it is not the only way of doing things.
This ideabook looks at what I refer to as "nesting," where objects and spaces are inserted within larger ones. Nesting creates interstitial zones that may or may not be inhabited. These are unique spaces that defy standard ways of designing, but as these examples show they can lead to some rich spaces and buildings.
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This ideabook looks at what I refer to as "nesting," where objects and spaces are inserted within larger ones. Nesting creates interstitial zones that may or may not be inhabited. These are unique spaces that defy standard ways of designing, but as these examples show they can lead to some rich spaces and buildings.
Find an architect | Browse modern home photos
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| This modernist house is a basic box that is enveloped by a large frame. Between the frame and boxy enclosure is an outdoor zone for seating, both on the ground floor patio and second floor balcony. At the roof, this zone is partially filled with wood slats for shading both the interiors and outdoor space below. |
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While the previous example nests a box within a frame, this house by CCS Architecture nests two perpendicular bars which overlap at the inside corner. Here we see that taller structure's roof extending over the lower portion. Combined with the rustic materials (Corten steel roof, weathered wood siding), it gives the impression of found architecture retrofitted for a new use.
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From another angle, the extension of the roof above is seen to be echoed in the lower bar, acting as a shaded porch taking in the views.
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One last view of the design by CCS shows how the L-shaped plan opens up to views down the hillside; the shape of the plan and the trees beyond shade and enclose the house. The nesting indicates how the two volumes are distinct (living areas on the left, sleeping rooms on the right) yet joined into one composition.
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Also by CCS, this house looks like a simple box either inserted into a gable-framed enclosure or capped by it. According to the architects, this "floating metal canopy [is used] for shade ... [and] links the house to Sonoma's farm vernacular."
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In this view we can see how the overhead enclosure provides shade at certain times of the day.
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At night the underside of the metal roof glows subtly. I think in addition to shade and vernacular precedent, the canopy imparts a sense of security on the residence below, shielding the box physically and metaphorically from the elements.
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| Very similar in form are the PopUP houses by House Port LLC. The series of residences consists of flat-roofed PopUP cubes below a "House Port," a larger version of CCS's metal canopy. Here the port encloses the whole of the cubes below, creating wraparound porches. |
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| Another design by House Port inserts gabled buildings below the port; the latter is like a tract cap, shading standard suburban houses in harsh locales. |
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| A closer view of one of House Port's designs illustrates how the objects underneath can be spaced apart to create more interstitial spaces. In theory, the port and cubes work independently, so they can be located relative to each other that responds to the client's needs: climate, view, space requirements, and so on. |
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It should be noted that House Port's "ports" incorporate fabric shades that can be drawn across the openings for additional shade. When open (and tied at the columns) the views are framed by the large steel structure.
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One last photo of one of House Port's designs shows how it may be used for multifamily applications. I can see these wall extensions separating the different house and yards, yet also providing a link for the "port community."
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| This poolhouse does not "nest" as literally as the previous examples do, but I see three layers working here: the hip roof supported by slender columns, the glass enclosure, and a cylindrical core in wood. |
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| A closer look reveals the indoor/outdoor zone created by the roof and columns; how the glass walls open to link inside and outside; and how the wood bathroom enclosure stops at the height of the glass walls, looking like an object nested within the space. |
| Not all nesting has to occur at the exterior. In this interior project by John Lum a nicely crafted wood box is apparently inserted into space with a shallow gable. The contrast between the white walls and wood box is lovely, making the latter appear very special and something to be appreciated as well as being functional. |
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by Randy Brown
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| Another example of wood objects inserted into a space can be found in this house designed by Randy Brown. Compare and contrast with the previous example: Both are in wood, but this one is much more complex and dynamic. While I'm not sure what exactly is going on here, it certainly looks appropriate for being the boys' bedroom: aggressive yet playful. |
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| In this house designed by Eggleston Farkas, the dining room is a cube that is inserted into the larger house. Covered in glass on the side facing the front of the house, the space takes on a prominence next door to the entry. |
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| From inside we see how one steps up into the dining room and how the view of the landscape is carefully controlled. This instance of nesting clearly makes the dining room a special place within the house. |
This last example presents a grand interior overlooked by a study, which acts like a room within a room. The study's window provides a visual link between the small and large spaces, while giving the occupant some privacy.
More: The Outside Comes Inside Down Under
More: The Outside Comes Inside Down Under
Ideabook updated on Jan. 9, 2012.
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Boxes inserted in boxes, espcially when the inner boxes are elevated or appear to be floating, is just another example of what makes the stunning aesthetic of modern architecture absolute.
I have to agree with inabunker that it looks like it can be a wasteful use of material,
tho some more than others. None the less, I enjoyed this very much!
I disagree with some of the other commenters though, in certain climates the additional structure has some value in saving energy costs in the form of shade and protection from damaging elements.
picture worth 10,000 words:
http://www.delange.org/CasaGrandeRuins/DSC00012.jpg
Green building is not simply amount of materials, but also types of materials and where the materials and assemblies come from, as well as considerations like off-gassing of materials, energy usage, water usage, and so forth. Amount of materials is important, but it needs to be weighed and balanced with other factors. To call the second example wasteful, even though it reuses barn siding and corrugated metal, is a case in point.
Considering that our planet is now home to over 7 BILLION people, we are in a time where the primary concern should be our impact on our environment - including our usage of natural resources. I get nauseous when I see such excess simply in the name of appearances (aka: "architecture"). Certainly not all of them are faulty, such as the second example you mention, but those that are shouldn't be suggested as "ideas to follow", which is inherently what "Ideabooks" are.
http://www.containerhome.info/shipping-container-cabin-retreat.html
In this case, all material are reclaimed and the roof unit actually shades a deck and the home without a massive waste of material (such as shading a roof without a deck with another roof as in pictures 5-11 above). This is eco-friendly usage of the style you are promoting here.
http://www.upm.com/EN/MEDIA/Media-Centre/UPM-blog/shigeru-ban-temporary-container-housing-project/Pages/default.aspx
While this is intended to be temporary, I think the design of the alternating containers with deck areas in between is outstanding and should be considered for long-term usage.
I've gotten off-topic here, so I'll digress and we can move it to e-mail if you are interested.