Housewarming

Based on Housewarming by Henry David Thoreau, this project is meant to be located on the same Walden Pond site that Thoreau constructed a house on over 100 years ago. Thoreau was a naturalist, philosopher, and writer who sought to find the essentials of what it means to live with nature. In the passage this project is based on, Thoreau speaks of the significance of the hearth and states that “you begin to inhabit the home when you use it for warmth as well as shelter”. Naturalists like himself center around simplicity and necessity which is why in housewarming he dreams of an ideal home being one room where all the treasures of the house are visible in one view and the guest feels as though they have the freedom to all spaces.

The project is placed on the edge of the flat land just as the land slopes down towards the pond. A large hearth commands the attention of the inhabitant while the ramp down into the space pulls you in further. Large walls stretch out on either side of the hearth, not yet revealing the view of Walden Pond. To enter the home, you must cross the threshold by walking through the hearth. This hearth acts as a connecting thread of all spaces - with the ability to be accessed on multiple levels. Staying true to Thoreau’s dream, the home is one open room with terracing levels that overlook each other and lack the separation from walls.