Ashton Porter were invited by the “Peripheriques” group in France to submit a design for a 499,900FF low cost prototype. Sponsored by the French Government the project was exhibited under the title of “36 modeles pour une maison” at the “arc en rêve centre d’architecture” in Bordeaux and a subsequent travelling exhibition between 1997 and 2000. The project was also published as a book of the same name and forms part of the permanent collection at the “Centre Georges Pompidou”.

The house and the landscape intertwine to form a series of spatial conditions. These are the extended surface, banked surface, courtyard, passage, private gardens and framed view. The main living space enjoys two main aspects, both accessed by large glazed openings. The first is to the side and forms an intimate courtyard as an extension of the living area and the second is the main view out the rear terrace and garden.
The bathroom extends the relationship to the exterior further by allowing a view to its own private garden. Each housing unit engages with its own landscape and interlocks with its neighbour.
A series of plots are designed which allow for a multitude of permutations within an existing context or a new situation without pre-defined boundary.