Atrium House

In the summer of 2019, I was given a site in Arizona and a brief with no render required — just build it.
Part of an intensive workshop on materials, climatology, and building envelope design, the Atrium House was a hands-on inquiry into what architecture feels like when theory meets ground. Working with my team, we designed and constructed a four-person dwelling using rammed earth — a material that demanded we understand thermal mass, construction sequence, and climatic response not as academic concepts but as physical realities.
Centred around a courtyard void, the design choreographs light, privacy, and natural ventilation through an honest material palette. Every room maintains a direct connection to the sky. Every wall is a climate decision. It remains one of the most formative projects of my education — the one where I learned that the best sustainable design isn't a system you add. It's a logic you build from.