Sweet Water Farm
House
Dangriga, Belize
Under development
The proposal is for a a new home with verandas wrapping around the house giving views to Big River in the West and the Caribbean Sea in the east.
Situated on the top of a hill on 23 acres of citrus orchard the house is divided into sleeping and living areas. The slope of the land allows for storage and garages below the house. A courtyard in the centre connects the two parts of the house and large doors connect the internal spaces with the veranda and courtyard bringing the outside in and connecting views, making best use of the tropical climate.
The lower ground floor of the proposal will be clad with rocks collected from the Big River. The upper levels, with their steeply sloping roofs, will be painted and rendered. Rainwater will be collected from these roofs into a cistern below and water from the river will pumped hydraulically into the house. Photovoltaic cells will be back up for the electricity system.
Caught between Big Creek, the main road and orange orchards the site sits atop a hill with views out towards the sea in Dangriga and mountains in the distance.
The proposals comprise two blocks, one private; sleeping, bathing etc, and the other living; cooking, eating living, are separated by a cloistered courtyard with the circulation space wrapping around it. The private sleeping block is east orientated to take advantage of the rising sun. The living block, facing west, takes in the setting sun.