Buten House, Philadelphia PA 1962, Louis Sauer Architect This photo (by David Hirsch) of the back facade shows the variations in the facades' geometry from the simple to the complex and from a single beat to repetitive ones. Because of the very small distances between the viewer and the facade, I needed to hide the scale of a normal floor level in order to create an increased sense of distance. This is my interpretation of lessons learned from the traditional Japanese tea room - from the known to the unknown, to infinity. Although my friend David Buten wanted a a townhouse in the center of Philadelphia’s Center City, he did not have enough money. He found a ‘trinity’ property (3 floors 15 ft x 15 ft with a 15 ft back yard). I convinced him to buy it along with the property behind it facing another street. I told him I would design his house and a separate unit in the rear property so that it’s rent would pay his mortgage. My design for his house excavated under both houses to add another floor and added an extension into the back yards. David’s house occupies 4 floors on the north side and the basement floor under both buildings with a courtyard between