Emma House: A serene space with a sense of quiet contemplation
Emma House, designed by HW Studio, is an architectural exploration that seeks to evoke serenity through light and space. Inspired by the profound experience within the Paula Rego Museum by Eduardo Souto de Moura, the project embodies a similar pursuit of tranquility and introspection.
The museum’s ethereal interplay of light left a lasting impression, its cascading glow creating an atmosphere of quiet reverence. This emotional response became the foundation for the conceptual approach of Emma House, where light serves as the primary medium of expression.
Unlike the museum’s sculptural presence, Emma House emerges as an excavation, a carefully carved void inspired by the Purépecha granary known as Troje, a structure deeply significant to Emma. The interior, crafted entirely from wood, accentuates this reference, embracing the warmth and timelessness of traditional craftsmanship.
The design fosters a profound connection between materiality and memory, offering an environment that is both contemporary and deeply rooted in cultural heritage. The architectural language is one of subtlety, where the essence of the space is not dictated by excess but by the purity of form and the way light interacts with its surfaces.
Given its compact 4.00m x 10.00m site, spatial efficiency was crucial. The design introduces a narrow access corridor at the front, subtly guiding visitors inward while concealing the roof until later revealed. Within the heart of the house, an open-plan space seamlessly integrates the living room, dining area, and kitchen, eliminating unnecessary partitions to maintain fluidity.
At the rear, functional elements, including storage and utilities, are discreetly arranged to maximize the sense of openness. A vertical circulation core leads to a small vestibule, providing access to the full bathroom and the mezzanine bedroom, which hovers above as a tranquil retreat.
One of the project’s defining elements is a white floating volume suspended within the wooden enclosure. This deliberate material contrast enhances the perception of lightness, as if the volume were a delicate cloud dissolving into its surroundings.
Reflection plays a pivotal role in achieving this ethereal effect, softening edges and allowing light to dissolve the boundaries between surfaces. The house thus becomes a poetic dialogue between solidity and weightlessness, permanence and impermanence.
Emma House is more than a residence; it is an experience designed to awaken emotion and invite introspection. A tribute to light, space, and memory, it is a place where architecture becomes a vessel for serenity and contemplation, honoring Emma’s presence in a luminous and timeless manner.
All images by César Béjar, courtesy of HW Studio, shared with permission
