A woman sitting on a red cushion with her legs outstretched, holding a young girl up in a living room with a wooden bookshelf and a large window showing a brick wall outside. In the foreground, a dining table is set with six white plates, a pizza wit

A person sitting on a window seat, capturing the full moon outside, in a modern room with wooden bookshelves and a dark ceiling.

Inside a dark, tiled bathroom with a bathtub filled with water, a window showing a full moon outside, and modern fixtures.

Architectural diagram of a house with three large chimney structures labeled with specific times and events, overlaid on a transparent house blueprint, with text reading 'Natureworks x Towl Studio' at the bottom.

Architectural drawings of a building, including 3D model, floor plans, and roof views, with colored highlights and branding for Natureworks and Towl Studio.

A digital globe with a wireframe mesh and annotations showing moon phases and positions, with logos for 'Natureworks' and 'towl studio' at the bottom.

Diagram showing the location of the December full moon at 3 am from 2024 to 2043, with illustrations of observatory structures and a textured globe in the background.

Moon House in Kent

Next Project

This house refurbishment project in Kent involved a thoughtful back and side extension, transforming the ground floor into a harmonious blend of functionality and celestial inspiration. The new layout includes a spacious kitchen, dining area, and a ground floor bathroom, all seamlessly connected to the garden through expansive bifold doors that flood the interior with natural light.

But this project went far beyond conventional design. We embarked on a unique architectural study: tracking the moon’s path and its relationship to the home. Our goal was to create spaces that not only serve daily life but also celebrate rare and poetic lunar moments.

Designing with the Moon

We began by mapping the trajectory of the full moon as seen from the site. This informed the placement of key windows and roof lights, ensuring that moonlight could enter the home in specific, meaningful ways. One of the most evocative outcomes was the positioning of a bathtub to allow for moonlit bathing on New Year’s Eve—a moment of quiet reflection and connection to nature.

Lunar Research & Visual Opportunities

Our research extended into the study of geographical moon features visible through telescopes. We discovered optimal viewing days each month and aligned these with a custom-designed window seat, creating a celestial observatory within the home. A schedule was developed to highlight the best lunar viewing dates through this window, extending all the way to the year 2043.

To support this, we built a detailed 3D model of the proposal and its surrounding context, simulating full moon visibility and illumination angles. December was our initial focus, chosen for its long nights and dramatic moonrises.

Spatial Experience & Representation

Every new opening—whether a window or roof light—was carefully considered to capture moonlight at precise angles. This created opportunities for immersive experiences, where architecture and astronomy intersect.

To communicate these ideas, we explored various forms of visual representation, including diagrams, leaflets, and conceptual sketches. These helped convey the poetic and scientific aspects of the design to collaborators and clients alike.