Located adjacent to a lake in Chenequa, Wisconsin (west of Milwaukee), this curvaceous residence was beautifully built by architect Robert Harvey Oshatz. Designed in 2009 and completed in 2011, the Chenequa Residence wraps around the face of a hill and pivots around established trees.
Featuring expansive windows with incredible views of the surrounding environment; stone, wood and concrete are seamlessly integrated into this stunning residence. The internal spaces extend out from a central atrium which is anchored by a circular stone core that almost looks like a tree trunk from afar.
Oshatz established his own firm in 1971 and is well known for his unique and organic style. His buildings are bold and memorable and his design approach is fascinating:
“An architect is an artist, creator, logician of evolving aesthetic structures; a designer of not only the visual but the internal space. I see architecture as a synthesis of logic and emotion, exploring and fulfilling the dreams, fantasies and realities of my clients, whether they are individuals, corporate, or community identities.
Except for the basic elements of design composition, dominance, transition, and identity; I stay away from design theories. They seem to be too transitory and irrelevant to my work. Design theories tend to outshine their author’s performance, becoming limiting concepts, prejudicing the mind while tying one’s hands behind one’s back. They are roadblocks to new ideas. While subscribing to a particular theory of design an architect must solve problems within the parameters of that theory; this is limiting at best.”
To learn more about Oshtaz’s approach and design philosophy, be sure to check out the text available on his website, it’s quite intriguing: http://www.oshatz.com/text/thearchitect.htm
[first spotted on: ArchDaily]
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