Redefining Architectural Boundaries with Boonma Project

The Boonma Project: Redefining Architectural Boundaries"

The Boonma project is a renovation program for a café building situated on a hill land. The existing building, which is 6 meters high, is nestled within a private forest, creating a disordered natural landscape. The Sher Maker architectural studio took on the challenge of redefining the architectural boundaries of the building while maintaining a connection to the surrounding landscape.

"Blurring the Lines: The Consciousness of Boundary Definition"

Sher Maker approached the design by using the external wall system as the basic element for defining the boundary between architecture and landscape. However, they also sought to create a blurred and diluted plane that would connect the inside and outside areas. To achieve this, they created a 6-meter exterior curtain that followed the curve of the original building and inserted it between the landscape and the building. Opaque plastic curtains were hung on the exterior curtain to obscure the building from the entrance.

"The Mirror Effect: Dissolving the Image of Existing Buildings"

To further dissolve the image of the existing building, the main entrance surface was covered with a mirror that borrowed from the landscape context to create a new elevation. This mirror effect created an encirclement for the exterior curtain through reflection. The exterior curtain has two functions: to create a new boundary for the architecture and landscape and to serve as an interactive tangible wall for people to touch and enter the building.

"A Play of Light and Shadow: The Interior Design"

The context of the Boonma project is shady and full of trees. To complement this, the interior was designed with a dark, reflective finish in the café area and with light filter material for some of the openings. The black agricultural mesh was used to reduce the amount of light entering the building. The interior mood was created to provide the most prominent view of the landscape from the external terrace, where brightness abounds.

The Boonma project is a testament to the Sher Maker architectural studio's consciousness of boundary definition. By redefining the architectural boundaries while maintaining a connection to the landscape, they created a space that blurs the lines between inside and outside, creating a sense of harmony and connection to nature.

Read also about the MoederscheimMoonen Architects' Clear and Purist Design for Utrecht Retail Pavilion project