Stetto Plans, Sections, Elevations & Perspectives

As an environmental filter, the Stretto House lends itself to the sound of running water over four pre-existing small concrete dams on the site. The house co-operates with the site- the floor plan directs visual alignment towards the dams and the movement of water along the stream. Structurally the thermal mass of the block walls and concrete/tiled floors are appropriate to the humid sub-tropical climate of Dallas, Texas.

The commodity of the house combines the required functionality for living needs with the clients desire for the structure to contain, and appropriately view, their valuable art collection. This is achieved with the strict spacial arrangment generated by the Stretto floor plan and the ever present infusion of light throughout the heavy concrete block structure.

The delight in Stretto is rendered by the architects interpretation of form and structure through phenomenology:

"..from initial concept to finest detail our aim is for idea and phenomena. In a way the concept that derives a design like the Stretto house disappears completely in the phenomena of the physical reality and yet intuitively the abundance of the idea may be felt" (Holl 1996:9).

Theres an inherent choreography of sensory experience in and around the Stretto House. The mass and orthogonal quality of the plan and walls touch the curves and bends of the roofs. Underlying the scheme is Bartok's Music for Strings, Percussion and Cadella, from which was derived the brief for Stretto.

Holl, S., & Steven Holl Architects. (1996). Stretto House : Steven Holl Architects. New York: Monacelli Press.