Olson Kundig Architects have completed the Ocean House project on the Big Island in Hawaii and were kind enough to send us some high quality photos of this dream home.
Inspired by traditional Balinese palaces and temples, this house sits on a beautiful promontory of exposed lava. Tropical design concepts and time-honored building practices were used to fit the house naturally into its setting. The lava base anchors the house to the site, while the roof planes appear to float in the sky. Broad overhangs protect the interior from the sun, while sliding window walls open to unite inside and outside and cool the house using existing breezes. A river of hardened lava runs through the site and symbolically connects the house to important Pacific culture sources of energy; the mountains and the sea
