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Danielle Hillenbrand

Danielle Hillenbrand

Columbus, OH, US

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digital plan drawing superimposed onto a hand-drafted tree plan
digital plan drawing superimposed onto a hand-drafted tree plan
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Retreat for a Rainmaker

The site begins with the study space, elevated from the ground, plunging into the tree canopies. An outdoor room is situated on the roof of the study. The space becomes a room not only by the physical boundaries of the walkable plane, but also by the trees that surround it. 

The water room floats above the ground to recall the fall of rainwater in a complete manner - its path past a building instead of only onto it. Open air gaps stretch along the walls of the narrow room to allow rain inside of the building; the structure literally becomes a water room. As to not disturb the trees native to the site, a few young trees continue to grow through the building, enhancing the quality of water during rainfall.

Living space for the rainmaker is located sub-grade, beyond the water room. One enters the living space through the kitchen, continues to the living room, and finally to the bedroom. One determinant of privacy for each room is the depth of the space in relation to the ground plane. The depth of the most private space in the apartment, the bedroom, equals the height of the rainmaker. But the depth of the kitchen only reaches his shoulders.

 
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Status: School Project
Location: Blacksburg, VA, US

 
outdoor room_view from above
outdoor room_view from above
elevated study and outdoor room_section
elevated study and outdoor room_section
water room_section
water room_section
water room_roof detail and view inside
water room_roof detail and view inside
living_entrance
living_entrance
living_entrance with roof
living_entrance with roof