Understory House began with clear program pieces: three bedrooms, a kitchen, dining and living rooms, a library, and a deck. How to arrange these components, balancing spatial complexity with construction simplicity?

One approach was to gather everything into a simple box—a straightforward, efficient volume easy to build, but lacking in spatial complexity. At the other extreme, the design could unfold into a complex composition of individual spaces, each with its own expression and outdoor connection, offering a rich spatial tapestry but complicating construction.

The solution is thoughtful: organize all program elements within one pure rectangular footprint easy to build—clearly delineating public from private—then carve out a carefully shaped void.