Hortus
Between shelter and soil
Transforming an abandoned urban plot into a regenerative micro-dwelling where garden and home dissolve into one.
Inspired by the medieval enclosed garden, a space of reflection, growth, and protection, the design begins outside and unfolds inward, making nature the structural and emotional core of daily life. Walls fade, boundaries blur, and architecture becomes inseparable from the landscape it holds
Size: 24sqm Location: NL Client: Contest
Each home starts in the garden and flows seamlessly into intimate interior spaces, with translucent materials allowing light, shadow, air, and sound to pass through; creating the feel of a garden pavilion rather than a sealed structure.
The house operates as a living system, built from reclaimed materials and designed for self-sufficiency through solar energy, rainwater collection, and composting. Edible gardens and pollinator-friendly plants create a functional ecosystem that supports both inhabitants and urban biodiversity.