symphony
composition 6-19
score 28-65
prelude 66-90 movements 91-165
solo parts 166 -177
intro 20-27
appendix 178 -183
15
16
15 office space 16 reading area second floor
10 09
11
08 08 09 10 11 12 13 14
gallery dressing room main bathroom master bedroom bedroom bedroom bathroom
first floor
12
13 14
1
5m
N
17
3
2 01 02 03 04 05 06 07
entrance hall living area dining area dining area kitchen lavatory
ground floor
4 7 5
1
6
west elevation
south elevation
19
section
east elevation
| “…and, I do not mean a quest for an essence of place based in a primordial past. I am interested in an immanent theory of place that is not abstracted from its instances in everyday life, nor deferred to a presumed deeper or higher source.” - from “Becoming Places,” by Kim Dovey asked to comment by my former student, frédéric nosbusch, on n-lab architects‘ celebratory milestone and completion of the MAR project, I am struck by how n-lab was able to elevate the notion of a simple residence from a house to a place. the MAR project bears witness to this migration from house to place by also raising expectations of a retreat to become immersed in a feeling of refuge and distinguish between what the public sees and what the family experiences. the MAR project represents contradiction. the exterior of the single-family residence takes on the urban responsibility of place, but gives no visual clues as to its contents. it presents a puzzle to the street. the exterior composition is elevated as fine art sculpture beyond a human scale - a civic gesture. upon entering the residence, the purpose, programme and story are revealed. the interior reveals itself to be a smart container for family interaction. as the projective and human-scaled interior unravels to become a personal space and idiosyncratic to the exterior, the careful geometry and considered arrangement of the interior forms re-tell the exterior experience in a clear and understandable language. the architects demonstrate their skill by achieving harmony between the complexity of the exterior and the clarity of the interior. the strong manipulation of these contradictory languages and forms offers the occupants and visitors a highly evocative experience that would be absent in the hands of less sympathetic designers. concerned with place rather than content, n-lab challenges traditional methods of form making, detailing and manipulation of space and light. n-lab’s work is an equal blend of emotion, art and tectonics. it’s clear and readable, direct and purposeful, yet still visually sensational. | neil frankel