Optic House by Randy Brown Architects

The concept of Optic House is a house designed by Randy Brown Architects that can be an instrument for viewing and to be viewed. This evolves the behavior and properties of light, including its interactions with matter and the construction of instruments that use or detect it.

wood frame cement board clad Optic House by Randy Brown Architects

The house is terracing up the hill to take advantage of dramatic views of Nebraska landscape. The concrete plinth is tucked into the hillside with a wood framed cement board clad fragmented form which stands out as a sculpture in the landscape. Closer inspection of the site reveals that the folding ground plane was the inspiration for the folded walls that cant and slide creating spaces and voids that come to life with sunlight. Dancing shadows bring dimension to the exterior as the sun moves around the house. The voids create apertures to allow the sunlight inside and to frame views of the lake and horizon.

monumental stair design Optic House by Randy Brown Architects

Inside a monumental steel stair connects the bedrooms with the living spaces. The main floor is a series of open spaces that allow for cooking, eating, relaxing and working. The main entertaining space is a two-story volume with an adjacent terrace that overlooks the lake. Scrim walls and custom sliding doors create flexibility and allow for a desired amount of day-lighting. Just as the client talks of fitting eyeglasses to the head, the positioning of the house on the site and the user’s movement through it evokes an awareness of the ground plane and the user’s removal and reconnection to it.