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two homes and one green void? why?

This project consists of two interconnected residential units. The first, on the ground floor, was designed for everyday living—with three bedrooms, a kitchen, and standard amenities.

The second unit, located above, was a duplex designed for hosting guests. It included two bedrooms and no kitchen; meals were sent up from the ground floor via a lift and served upstairs. Functionally, this upper home served as a recreational villa.

The client had a child with a physical disability who used a wheelchair. Though living abroad, they would visit for one or two months each year. Their room—fully accessible—was placed on the top floor, and a large elevator ensured barrier-free movement throughout the house.

At this point, the project could have ended as a practical solution: two distinct homes in one building with proper circulation and accessibility. But something was missing—an element that would bring emotional depth and a sense of life to the space.

For us, that element was a void. A planted atrium that would act as a living heart within the architecture.

Due to energy considerations, the ground-floor unit couldn’t accommodate a double-height volume. Instead, the green void was conceived as a vertical lightwell, later combined with a balcony on the upper floor—bringing light, air, and greenery into the center of the home.