Perched atop a wooded ridge, this residence derives itself and emerges from its site – inevitably grounded but exceeding its limits to engage with the trees beyond. The family spaces of the first floor loosely occupy the free plan; while above, explicit spaces are contained in distinct volumes. Four vertical “walls of light” separate these private spaces while illuminating the floors below. Actively embracing the sky, these shafts become the locus of ornament conceived as a transparent and translucent lining, accessing light while affording silhouetted privacy. As the shafts move towards the interior of the house, they carve away the second-floor plate to form double-height spaces or to contain vertical circulation. By blurring the distinctions between familiar oppositions – inside/outside, front/rear, massive/light – the resultant assemblage dissolves traditional boundaries of habit.