This House In Poland Features A Rotating Terrace That Follows The Sun

The home’s outdoor living space moves on an axis and docks with rooms on either side of the garden. The architects explain that the owners “wanted a simple, sunny, and relaxing home, somehow reacting to the movement of the sun”. The project’s title and concept is borrowed from the word quadrant—its twofold meaning has origins in both the quarters of a circle, and the historical instrument used in astronomy to determine the angle of the sun’s elevation. Palpably, both are relevant: the terrace’s moving section pivots across the lawn through 90 degrees. “It regulates the amount of sunlight in the spaces it adjoins to, giving the desired shadow in summer and allowing for more sunlight inside, in winter,” they say.

The silently-moving mechanism is fully automated to be in motion throughout the day, however manual control is always possible and in the event of obstacles, the house’s safety sensors force the terrace stop immediately. When the terrace docks to one side, it transforms into an extended space for the house. The all-white ‘Quadrant House’ comprises two long, rectangular volumes positioned in an L shape, one with a gabled roof facing the street that meets the local council’s requirements; and the second facing inwards, features a flat roof at the request of the owners. Sliding windows allow the living room to be opened completely from two sides.