The Divide

This house is organized around a clean/dirty split that reflects the rhythms of farm life. The vertical axis serves as the “dirty side,” where the farmer returns directly from the fields without entering the main home. Here, outdoor restrooms, showers, laundry, and storage for tools and equipment are clustered for convenience. On the opposite side, semi-outdoor workspaces allow the farmer to eat or work late at night and early in the morning without disturbing others.

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The horizontal split defines the “clean side”: private bedrooms with attached restrooms placed on either end, and communal spaces—living, dining, and kitchen—gathered around a semi-open central courtyard that doubles as informal seating.

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At the heart of the house, cyanobacteria-filled tanks form a living insulation system. Their semi-transparent quality softens light, creating a luminous interior while regulating temperature. The design weaves practicality with ecological innovation, offering farmworkers both protection and flexibility in their daily routines.