How are you coping with high temperatures? Sun-gain is great, but what if it gets too hot?
This summer I had an opportunity to visit one of the most iconic architecture in the world. Check some photos of Barcelona Pavilion below and how well shaded is the interior. Not to mention this building was built 1929! How did we forget everything we knew back then?

Architecture doesn't compromise between aesthetics and performance. Its like designing a nice car that is bad in cornering.. why would you do that?
Note: in the Southern Hemisphere the date will be December 2pm.
Good point! I forgot to mention it was summer in Europe, winter in NZ.
Does this design allow the use of winter sun? ie lower angles in the winter?
I think it does. You can see that as soon as the angle of the sun lowers (winter) it would reach the inside of the house. On internal side of the glazing it is pretty much like in the green house, where the heat is captured. Further to that you can see concrete wall covered in darker marble, to collect heat and absorb it... thermal mass.
Further to this topic... beside being a nice design feature, creating reflections and sense of space, depth and perspective... does this shallow pool at the back of the house have any other more practical function?