Building on the work of Yves Lion (Domus Demain, Living Space for the Beginning of the 21st Century, 1984), we explore the densification and perforation of layers of use along the façade. In his studies on the “spatial outer skin,” Lion demonstrated nearly 40 years ago how living spaces—conceived more as landscapes than as chambers—could be illuminated through slits, joints, or interstices. The constant backlighting and the glaring, high-contrast light inspire us: What if we could enter the space behind these functional fragments? What if we, as residents, could penetrate the layer? What was still an exterior space in Domus Demain is to become a fluid living landscape in our study. With the aim of making the deep line attractive, we are seeking geometric strategies to bring as much light as possible into the building’s interior, as well as design techniques to make the distance from the façade and the high-contrast lighting situation appealing.

Within the framework of this study, we are working on a living environment for the mid-21st century—a time when summer heat protection and mechanical nighttime cooling pose greater challenges to buildings than the cold winter. We are guided by a series of design principles that interest us in light of current and future demands on construction: We prioritize the serendipitous over the uniform. We dissolve the perceived building mass and define spaces through surfaces and independent elements shifted relative to one another. We seek spatial tension in the optimization of complex, overlapping requirements and systems. We conceal nothing, but elevate the necessary into characteristic features. We use material properties and surface textures to control the perception of space.