Ritchie Studio

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Eagle Rock House

Eagle Rock: Etching by Ian Ritchie

A metaphor of suspended flight – Eagle Rock – its anatomy.

An essay in sequential space, geometry and light/shade modulation.

The client’s wish for a bird form is translated through the articulated structure and suspended wing; the tail as a trapped ‘crystal greenhouse’ protecting plants as a counterpoint to the natural landscape; the movement of the external blinds as a play on ruffling feathers responding to the climate; the loft (bird’s head) as the focus and energy centre.

Originally conceived as a sculpture whose planes, structure and joints were articulated in primary colours, this idea changed to camouflage, using subtle autumn colours, and vertical landscape meshes between the garden and the house, to dissolve the solid vertical planes leaving only transparent openings linking internal and external spaces.

The construction of the in situ slab, steel frame and suspended steel wings with its glazed roofs, heat pump and passive energy collection was undertaken by specialist contractors, while the insulated ply and double glazed walling and all internal construction and finishes were by carried out by students from the AA School of Architecture, alongside Ian Ritchie Architects and Hanscomb QS. The entire project managed by Ian Ritchie Architects. It was completed in 1981. It has been owned for the last 3 decades by Andy Earl and Sophie.

Books
09/2017 100 HOUSES 100 YEARS Batsford
ISBN: ISBN: 9781849944373
1/2002 HOUSES IN MOTION: THE GENESIS, HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE PORTABLE BUILDING John Wiley and Sons
ISBN: ISBN-10: 0470843314, ISBN-13: 978-0470843314
1/2001 SPIRIT OF THE MACHINE: TECHNOLOGY AS AN INSPIRATION IN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN John Wiley and Sons
1/2000 ON THE NATURE OF THINGS Birkhauser Basel
ISBN: ISBN-10: 3764361921, ISBN-13: 978-3764361921
1/1996 MASTED STRUCTURES IN ARCHITECTURE Elsevier Science and Technology
ISBN: ISBN: 9780750612821
10/1988 HIGH TECH ARCHITECTURE Rizzoli
ISBN: 0847808874
Journal Articles
01/2001 LONDON EVENING STANDARD
01/1990 COUNTRY TIMES
01/1990 COUNTRY LIFE
09/1989 ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW
09/1987 DE ARCHITECT
10/1985 L'INDUSTRIA DELLE CONSTRUZIONI
01/1985 SD
07/1984 HOUSE and GARDEN
06/1984 AMC
03/1984 HAUSER
10/1983 ARCHITECTS' JOURNAL
03/1983 DOMUS
06/1981 ARCHITECTS' JOURNAL

Eagle Rock House

Uckfield, Sussex, UK

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