Before the shoot while discussing his approach to design, I asked Architect Robert Stephens how he viewed beauty or aesthetics versus usability. His answer was, ‘there isn’t a distinction between them because anything that is usable can be made beautiful.’

It was this thought that led to photographing not just the design but what its use could be.

For Robert, sustainability is using the available resources to its maximum value. A significant portion of the space is left unbuilt as part of the garden, centered around a 20-foot-deep hand dug well made by traditional well diggers. Grey water and blackwater are treated on site, while the house operates independently on solar energy.

My team and I spent 2 memorable days photographing and observing life around this inspiring space.