As a means of design, The Brick House is defined by an exercise in material efficiency. Though custom homes and buildings are often designed with material in mind, they are rarely designed for a specific material and to the specifics of a singular material instance. In this case, an exterior material palette was selected first, and the refinement of the home's design was suited to those module parameters.
Building articulation, massing, window openings, and entries are all dictated by a humble brick; a scalar and definitivly contextual material. The brick perimeter extends rearward, forming a defensive wall containing the rear entry and private living spaces. The comparatively more porous rear facade ties the house back to its civic context, and a laneway house above the garage provides much needed density befitting its inner-city position. In defiance of its strong formal language, the spatial relationships and experiences of the home arise from a sensitivity to site, context, and the human condition.
