Home is not just a physical structure defined by its materials and spatial characteristics. It is the result of everyday habits, routines, and fond memories blending into the very essence of the place through its walls, textures, and aromas. This is why a true home cannot be instantly created; it demands time, and a sense of continuity, as it reflects the ongoing adaptation of both the family and the individual within that space.
Regarding our childhood home, our sensations intertwine the memories, which may be a bit jumbled, with the real-life events that occurred within its walls. This home of memories is the one we frequently revisit in our dreams, evading any specific description and residing in the world of past fantasies. As Bachelard posited, the so-called dream home may differ in various aspects, but it fundamentally includes an attic and a basement. The attic symbolically stores pleasant memories, while the basement hides the less pleasant ones, both of which are vital for our overall well-being.
In projects that focus on renovating the client's childhood home, subjectivity and materiality come together in a delicate exercise of empathy. The client's participation in design decisions, the understanding of the present and the past, and the creativity to blend time in architecture are some strategies for this type of program.
The Dolmenic House in South Korea is described by its architects with a starting point: "Just as a salmon must return to its place of origin, human beings have the disposition to return to the place where they were born, a slow inertia that extends over about 90 years of life." This concept guided the renovation project on a piece of land where the client had spent their entire childhood. Over eight generations, most of the old structures had disappeared, leaving only a traditional Korean wooden house and an ancient well and dolmen. The entire project was a collaborative effort with the client, particularly in deciding what to retain and what to remove from the property. The house, in poor condition, was demolished, but the well and the dolmen, a representative tomb from the Bronze Age called 'Jiseokmyo,' were integrated into the project to create living spaces and a welcoming atmosphere.
House Ag in Japan shares a similar background with the previous one, as it was the client's childhood home. After spending 40 years in the suburbs of a major city, the client decided to return to this familiar place and transform it into a welcoming home for friends and family. The goal was to protect the traditional local landscape, which was disappearing due to uncontrolled urban development. To achieve this, the architects introduced gardens with native trees and greenery to blend the building with its surroundings, allowing people to reminisce about the once-existing landscape. Additionally, a spacious, multi-angled roof was constructed to cover all the buildings, ensuring a sense of continuity and adaptability for future generations to appreciate.
In the municipality of Cercedilla, Spain, a unique urban phenomenon is unfolding, leading to a different type of resident. This community bridges the gap between rural and urban living, where people embrace a rural lifestyle without ever fully leaving it. Ana and Manolo are a prime example; they chose to raise their four daughters in this rural setting, and their selected home, built in the 1970s, used to be their weekend retreat. The Young Old House's renovation focused on improving thermal insulation and enhancing its connection to the natural surroundings. They made changes to some of the old stone walls to establish new connections between the inside and outside areas and added a new metal structure to integrate the new living space with the natural environment. Even though they replaced the roof, they recycled and repurposed the old materials into furniture. In this project, everything transformed, and nothing remained in its original state.
Finally, it is worth mentioning the example of the São João da Boa Vista House in Brazil, which was built on a remnant of an old farm now incorporated into the city. The peculiarity of the project lies in the fact that right next to the new construction, an old house where the client's parents still live has been preserved. Hence, besides the architectural effort to bridge the two different eras, it was essential to develop strategies for living together that respected privacy. Thus, the patio is surrounded by the body of the house, and its projection marks a passageway where the beginning and the end are punctuated by two equally main entrances and exits: one that leads to the intimacy of the house and another that connects the new construction to the old house of the parents.
Memory and space are strongly linked dimensions. To understand how they relate to our senses - specifically, the sense of smell - read the article Architecture and Memory: The Sense of Smell and Recollection.
