Studio William Hefner have been shortlisted for Residential Swimming Pool Award in The International Design and Architecture Awards 2020
A combination of classical and modern design. A new kind of 21st century elegance can emerge out of these pairings, which makes something fresh out of historical reference and modern reduction. This is what evolved in the imagining of this house. It’s not so much contemporary as it is a radical distillation of an earlier, classical set of forms.
The inspiration is more English than some of our other houses. The house follows a tranquil, symmetrical Georgian plan, with tall and elegant proportions. A heavy limestone surround at the front door and a slate roof contribute to the substantial façade. But it is all bright and light at the same time, with the very large steel windows and leafy trees beyond, casting lovely shadows inside on bare white walls.
In order to emphasize clarity, William Hefner elected to repeat just one principal finish in each material through the house—one marble, one wood floor colour. Natural rift cut oak for wall panelling and cabinetry. For the cabinetwork in particular – whether in the kitchen, the bathrooms, or closets – crisp grids of doors, drawers, and cupboards lie flush and seamless, without mouldings or in most cases, even handles.
In the master bathroom, we see three massive, pure shapes each float in their own space: an egglike oval tub posed in front of a window, the large glass box of the shower, and twin, thick, suspended oblong vanities. Every fixture is a sculpture. Even the pool outside, with its zero edge, becomes a sculpted rectangle.
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