Aspects of Exemplar House

In the design of the new cabin for designer Rem Koolhaas a few a aspects from the Bordeaux Residence have been taken and altered to create the Fall Residence. These aspects include Public and Private places, Vertical and Horizontal containers and the used of materials to create framing views.

The Bordeaux House is split horizontally into public and private spaces. This use of space means that entry and exit points into private spaces (top floor) are minimized, While the middle level, public space has multiple entry points and is easily accessible. This aspect has been transformed into the Falls Residence. In the design of the cabin the use of public and private zones is very important. As the floor space is minimized spaces have to be grouped together in forms of convenience. The areas that are needed in the cabin can be split into spaces.

The living, food preparation and eating areas area all considered public spaces, and are the hub of the cabin life. Thus the space is capable to function in an open plan design. With multiple entry and exit points coming off the space. This can also be used to split private places.

Another space that can be created is the work and reflecting space, thus being semi private and public. Work space needs to be well lit and have access to reference material as well as having large desks and quiet working space. This quiet working space allows it to convinced with the reflection area. The reflection area is cornered off from the working space and is angled out so that none of the house or neighbouring properties can be seen. This corner can also be positioned as to overlook the waterfall on the border of the property.

The final two spaces in the cabin are the sleeping and ablution spaces, these two spaces are the most private spaces in the cabin. Thus in this space only one entrance space is allocated, The front glass wall also angles away from the rest of the house and neighbouring lots as well. This creates an oasis for the private space, making it feel as thought its not attached to the rest of the cabin. These uses of separating into functions, as well as limiting airflow, and entry and exit points is a factor used by Koolhaas in his design of the Bordeaux Residence.

Public space vs Private Space: darker shaded private shape, white space public, striped semi private space: Comparison Falls to Bordeaux Residence

The Bordeaux house uses different horizontal and vertical space in creating a working design. There are evident horizontal spaces, which split the functions of the area, as above. Koolhaas has also used skylights to allow light to travel down the multiple levels of the residence. These pillars of light create the vertical containers in the design. These pillars are used in the design of the Falls Residence to highlight spaces of importance. The living space, the reflection and the sleeping space are all bathed in these pillars of light. The roof in these three spaces are louvres that can be opened or closed to let in light and breezes that filter throughout the spaces. The horizontal spaces in the Bordeaux house have again be as organisational tools in the cabin. Instead of creating a multi-leveled cabin, the spaces has been split into horizontal zones instead of vertical.


Pillars of light - Bordeaux Residence: top elevator light shaft, horizontal light, small vertical light shaft - Falls Residence: center light row, top and bottom vertical light pillars

The middle section of the Bordeaux house is Glass based, with only a few geometric shapes puncturing the view. The idea of using different materials in geometric shapes to create views is one that Rem Koolhaas playings with in this design. It is also a feature that he exploits in other buildings such as the 'Central Chinese Television Tower in Beijing'. This feature is used in the design for the cabin as areas are created in which, only the view of the surrounding areas are created. In the reflection and sleeping areas 100 to 120 degree unobstructed views area created and framed by the box of the room. While in the living space the back and front facade is glass, that opens onto the landscape surrounding house. Thus every space in the house has been given a framed view.

Above are three examples of design ideologies used by Rem Koolhaas to achieve his desired outcome in his designs. These have been taken and altered to create a 75m square cabin in which him and his partner can stay.