A House is an Environmental Filter
Gabriel Poole believes that every client is different, every site is different and so every house should be different (ABC, 2004). The environment being the client, site and ultimately the individual brief. The house is designed to “capitalize on the site’s aspect and prevailing environmental conditions” stated Gabriel Poole in an interview with the ABC in 2004. He also said “we endeavor where we can, not to touch the site any more than is absolutely necessary (ABC, 2004).” This house is very much part of the environment, “Poole’s Lake Weyba House is the verandas (Kennedy, 2004).” Poole had built a house before this one called the Tent House, it had walls made from canvas that would roll up, on a moon lit night the whole ceiling would glow; it was a wonderful, wonderful experience said Poole (ABC, 2004). And so with the Lake Weyba House the same sort of ideas of filtered light came into the design but in much more solid materials (ABC, 2004). Poole’s wife Elizabeth said, “Well, wherever we are in this new house, I want to be able to see the sky.” She wanted to be protected from the outside; to feel comfortable in a home but still be able to enjoy the surrounding environment. So the roof was “raised above the rooms like a tent fly to aid ventilation and cooling (Kennedy, 2004).” With the addition of garage doors up on the top of it, allowing the owner to open and close it up (ABC, 2004). All of Poole’s architecture is designed for climate without the need to resort to air-conditioning (gabrielpoole.com, 2011); this is a key aspect when looking at a house as an environmental filter. A house can and should be designed in a way that allows the environment to aid human comfort. “Poole’s work is in a modernist tradition that adapts to local circumstance and in particular the issues of climate, light, structure and local construction practices (Roehrs, 1989).”
A House is a Container of Human Activities“One of the main objectives behind Gabriel Poole’s work is to provides for the hear and now,” announced Ric Butt, the National President of The Royal Australian Institute Of Architects; when announcing Poole’s RAIA Gold Medal in 1998. This is a very important idea behind designing for human activities, it must cater to what is happening now! Poole spoke of how space can effect people:
“We must have the ability to create simple spaces and volumes which can raise the spirit of those who inhabit them and accommodate the different generations of a family within a house, providing them with privacy and dignity (Kennedy, 2004)."
This is he perfect example of how a house should be designed when considering “a house is a container of human activities,” we can see that it is important that a house cater to the individuals needs, but he also looks at the idea that a house will not always have the same occupiers and that it is ideal to create a home that can be shared. He expresses the idea that through his design processes he tries to create environments for people that they can be happy and relaxed in (ABC, 2004). Ric Butt (2004) also declared “Throughout his work, there is a sense of humanity, of making the best fit for his clients with the place they inhabit.” It can be seen that The Lake Weyba house has a strong sense of human activity designed to cater for its exact location and occupier.
A House is a Delightful Experience
“I always say that, we should be able to take what a client wants and we should be able to sort of, turn it into something magical that is exactly what they want but its something far beyond what they ever imagined.” Said Gabriel Poole in a transcript with the ABC (2004).
This house is designed with the client in mind; the client in this case was them selves, Gabriel and Elizabeth. One key concept in the design came from Elizabeth; she wanted to be able to look at the sky from anywhere in the house (ABC, 2004). Gabriel has said “Well, I hope and I know that it happens most of the time that people walk into houses like that and there's an immediate impact (ABC, 2004).” A client noted, “All your houses have just got that quality of light and space (ABC, 2004).” It is clear, good design will instantly produce delight. Gabriel stated in an email to me, “I don't know what condition the house is in but the owners love it and contact me to tell me so every now and then (Gabriel Poole, personal communication, March 16, 2011).”
Gabriel goes one step further than visual appeal for those who see his architecture; he endeavors to provide spiritual pleasure to those who dwell in them (ABC, 2004). Gabriel designs different houses to normality. He said, “My buildings are different not simply for the sake of it but because I believe there are better ways of construction and living than those now available to us (Hukins, 1992).”
I would like to finish with this statement by Elizabeth Poole (Gabriel Poole’s Wife):
“The builders and everyone will come along and they'll stuff up everything around us but the thing they can't stuff up is the sky.”
I believe this refers for all three topics; firstly it shows that a house can filter out your surroundings. It than shows you that no matter what environment your in, you can still function with day to day activities if your happy with your home. Than finally it expresses that to the individual (Elizabeth Poole) you can be happy and delighted by your home, if you are content with the design. A perfect statement to sum up a great design.
