Jim Caumeron Design has completed a weekend retreat for a family just three hours away from Manila in the Philippines. Sited in a gated community and surrounded by mediterranean-style residences, the Panorama House stands out as a monolithic white volume with two horizontal cuts that create a connection with the exterior while generation a great deal of ventilation.

Located on a 300 square meter plot, the Panorama House by Jim Caumeron Design occupies only one third of this space. The remaining unbuilt space has been designed as gardens that are in relation to the interior, generating pleasant, framed views. The horizontal cuts on the white block create not only the windows but also for ventilation as it gets very hot during the summer months. On the first floor, the living and dining areas have been sunk due to a 1.5 meter drop in the plot. this space later expands into the garden area where white pebbles cover the ground and reflect light inside the house.
Because climate is such an important issue, the Panorama House has been optimized not only in terms of ventilation but also of orientation. The west side of the wall floor is completely closed, protecting the living space from the heat. The service areas have been located here while the living spaces boast high ceilings that allow warm air to rise and exit the house. A recessed canopy also shields it from the warming morning.

On the second level, a mix of horizontal and diagonal cu...