The project is designed for a family of six with a large extended family and sits on an oddly shaped, sloping city lot. The name Liminal refers to the idea of spaces between.

 

The design plays with the boundaries that define typical domestic spaces, creating flexible spaces between the orthodox functional zones. Boundaries between spaces are defined by void spaces, fireplaces, and service zones. Corridors become spaces for offices; the dining area inhabits part of the main hall. Interior double- and triple-height spaces cut through the house vertically and interconnect the floors' functions.

 

The exterior is arranged in three volumes - the main house, a woodshed and a garage - which themselves form intermediate spaces with different views, dimensions and spatial qualities. This interplay of liminal space, place and boundary is echoed in the treatment of the building envelope, where void spaces at the main entry and over the third floor balcony are wrapped in a cedar screen which is alternately solid, diaphenous, or open, offering varying impressions of the solidity and luminance of the structure from the street over the course of the the day and night.

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Photographs: Julian Parkinson