GLASS HOUSE

The Architecture of Presence: Spirituality in the Unfolding Moment

The project explores the relationship between spirituality and space, with water serving as the medium between the client’s daily activities of meditation and swimming, where both require emptying of the mind and an openness to the present moment.

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​The boundaries of interior and exterior spaces are interwoven throughout the house. The rooftop stairs act as a transitional space, connecting the sky to the meditation room below. Running parallel to the ocean, these stairs follow a gentle curve that allows one to descend gradually toward the Pacific. This movement creates a sensory submersion beneath the rooftop water garden. Upon reaching the meditation room, which floats above the ground-floor pool, one is met with panoramic views of the ocean.

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Recessed “voids,” carving out architectural mass, form empty spaces surrounding the finite, allowing for infinite micro-moment interactions of light, air, and reflections, which continually reshape the experience of the home.

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​The transparency of materials provides a sense of the absence of a solid, fixed self, blurring the distinction between self and environment. The reflection of glass, water, and light creates ever-changing perceptual experiences. The open plan of the interior spaces, along with the interchange of indoor and outdoor environments, aligns with the swimmer’s philosophy of "going with the flow” by accepting the true nature of things and experiencing life as an unfolding sequence of interconnected moments.