‘clementine house’ by TDO architecture all images courtesy TDO architecture

most doll’s houses are adapted versions of real buildings, which become compromised as a result of reduction. when UK TDO architecture were asked by wallpaper* to design a contemporary doll’s house, they re-approached the design by understanding the parameters of what makes both a functional doll’s house and an imagined full scale proposition.

TDO were asked to consider the villa savoye as their starting point. as doll’s houses are played with from the front tdo identified that the modernist ‘free plan’ needed to be converted to a ‘free section’ to allow for interaction with all areas. for this reason tdo designed the house vertically. efficient floor plates borrow space from a shared central volume. this allows light to flood through the core of the building and gives deep cross level views.   for ‘clementine house’ ramps traverse the internal surface of the facade and form the building’s lattice structure. when the facade is opened the ramps pivot out of the way revealing a workable miniature building and a concept for designing buildings volumetrically.

when closed the doll’s house is a piece of furniture. a lamp glowing quietly in the corner, the translucent facade hinting at the fun within.

TDO architecture: clementine house

TDO architecture: clementine house

TDO architecture: clementine house

TDO architecture: clementine house

TDO architecture: clementine house

TDO architecture: clementine house

TDO architecture: clementine house

TDO architecture is a collaboration between graduates of the royal college of art and the bartlett school of architecture in london.