Jeremy Huelin
Architecture

In response to the commission to design a house for two people who don’t necessarily know each other behind Beebe Lake on Cornell’s campus, the characters of a Cartesian philosopher and a semi-professional tennis player are placed in juxtaposition with one another. The former, in the tradition of Renee Descartes, focuses solely on the development of his intellect. The latter, an uncontracted professional athlete who has devoted his life solely to training in order to make a living, concentrates entirely on his physical self.

In order to carry out the activities peculiar to their individual lives, the tennis player requires a practice wall and the philosopher requires a library. The practice wall becomes the retaining wall which embeds the house in the site. Taking inspiration from earlier precedent studies, the unit of the bookshelf is used as a structural system which supports the house atop the retaining wall, as the library wraps the court. The rotation of vertical slats within this system allows for book storage, privacy, and oriented views.

Both individuals live in their own private, closed worlds until they come together to cook and eat. The front facade of the building falls out, mirroring the topography below and providing the occupants with a gorgeous view of the waterfall and the rest of the surrounding context. It is only in this moment of union that the two are fully aware of one another and the world around them.