Tea House / David Jameson Architect

The Tea House is nestled within a leafy backyard of a suburban home. Constructed of bronze and glass, the new structure references the form of a Japanese lantern and functions as a tea house, meditation space, and stage for the family’s musical recitals. This project recently received a 2010 Washington DC AIA Award of Merit. Photographs and drawings of the Tea House designed by David Jameson Architect following the break.

Architects: David Jameson Architect, Inc.
Location: Bethesda, Maryland, USA
Principal: David Jameson
Project Manager: Christopher Cabacar
Structural Engineer: Linton Engineering
Contractor: RKI, Inc.
Project Area: 180 sqf
Project Year: 2009
Photographs: Paul Warchol Photography

site plan

After experiencing the image of the lantern as a singular gem floating in the landscape, one is funneled into a curated procession space between strands of bamboo that is conceived to cleanse the mind and prepare one to enter the object.

model

After ascending an origami stair, the visitor is confronted with the last natural element: a four inch thick, opaque wood entry door. At this point the visitor occupies the structure as a performer with a sense of otherworldliness meditation.