House for a Photographer
Pontypridd - Cardiff, Wales
The dramatic site within an isolated, disused quarry on the edge of the Brecon National Park demanded an architectural intervention of elegant simplicity.
With a modest budget and to counter the construction complexities associated with touching the quarry walls, we developed an object building suspended within the basin – collecting light and focusing on distant views like a camera Obscura.
We chose to ‘touch the ground lightly’ to heighten the spatial drama and tension between an isolated pure form and the static noise of the exposed rock face.
The choice of materials helps to reinforce the authentic nature of the development, ensuring that the architecture has an intelligent narrative based on both its aesthetic appearance and its reference to place.
The majority of the elevation is clad with Cor-ten sheets, introduced as a rain screen facade. These are reminiscent of roofing materials found on local barns.
