DESIGN

Desert House by Lake | Flato Architects

“Rustic Modern is a term to describe this house composed of pavilions placed low on the ground and arranged to create a courtyard. Interior and exterior spaces are designed to accommodate the client’s collection of contemporary art while taking advantage of spectacular views of the New Mexico landscape. A low entry gallery compresses before opening up into the main living space, a long classic shed open at both ends with long overhangs to shade the sun. This room is the center of the house for both art and living. The guest rooms are outside the courtyard and partially buried into the hill. Exposed concrete walls retain the earth and frame views of the mountains to the Northeast. The materials palette consists of stucco, concrete, rusted corrugated metal siding and crisply detailed steel framed windows and doors.”

Museum of Contemporary Art – Detroit, Michigan

Detroit, Michigan – Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD) is pleased to announce that the redesign of the museum and its grounds by Rice+Lipka Architects and James Corner Field Operations, has been selected as the 2013 winner of The Architectural Review Future Projects Award for the category of “Old & New” and honored with a special mention in the Architizer A+ Awards for the “Architecture +Urban Transformation” category. Architectural Review judges cited the design as “an inspirational project that combines past and present in a well resolved and convincing manner. It creates new space for new creativity in a post-industrial city.” Full article featured in the FALL 2013 Issue of Design Space Magazine.

North London Townhouse | LLI Design

The owners recently purchased a new build 3000 sq foot townhouse in Crouch End, North London enjoying views towards historic Alexander Palace. The house boasts a magnificent ground floor double volume space. The first floor living room overlooks the kitchen dining area  below and is linked via  glass balustraded feature staircase, the rear exterior double volume face is glazed to bring a sense of the outside in. With such an airy environment it was important to maintain the drama of the space whilst bringing a human dimension by adding comfort and well scaled furniture so that the space  did not feel or appear too overwhelming. LLI Design’s input at the build stage helped make this space warm and welcoming whilst emphasizing and maximising the drama. On the ground floor, LLI Design decided to keep the kitchen area to the back of the open plan room – so it wasn’t visible from above. The kitchen included a central island – with views to the garden so cooking and socializing could combine. A dramatic contemporary chandelier spirals past the first floor living area down towards the ground floor dining area, again helping to visually join both areas together.

Beech House | Altius Architecture

Efficient, clean design and simple, modern spaces went hand in hand with wheelchair accessibility for this modest, 2200 square foot house. This project was designed to be an accessible house that maintained the warm feel of a family home. While planning for wheelchair access was a fundamental part of the design process, the creation of a comfortable family home was the ultimate goal. This house was to be equally appropriate for children as it would be for an occupant in a wheelchair. More than being simply accessible, it was intended to be an example of good, universal design and a model for the creation of living spaces that will function for generations. The house is sited on an urban lot on Beech Avenue in Toronto’s Beach neighborhood  The site slopes steeply upward from the street in front and is also accessed from a lane at the rear.

House Zochental | Liebel Architekten BDA

A building site in a valley with a steep slope on the southern side. “Not buildable” thought many interested buyers. “What a challenge!” Delighted the architect! The slope seals off the south side of the house completely from the outside world, so that the building can open to the garden with a large amount of glazing. From every room you can enjoy a beautiful view of the countryside.

South Yarra Residence  | Nixon Tulloch Fortey

Nixon Tulloch Fortey have designed an extension for a residence in South Yarra, Australia.

YAK01 House | Ayutt and Associates Design

YAK01 is a new modernly designed house located on Yen Akat Road, Bangkok, Thailand. The house is specifically designed for a small modern family. It is composed of a 560 sq.m private land and 500 sq. m usable internal space. Even though the usable space of the land is limited, the client wanted a modern house with sun shades and rain protections as well as a large greenery area to enjoy.

Cover Feature | Houl Residence | Simon Winstanley Architects

Scottish studio Simon Winstanley Architects has completed Houl Residence project in 2009. This 1,960 square foot low energy home is located near Darly, Galloway, Scotland. The Houl Residence is featured in  Design Space Magazine 2012 Vol. 1 Issue. Order copies online here: www.designspacemagazine.com.

Nth Fitzroy House | AM. Architecture

The owners approached us with a common question. Is it feasible to extend a semi-detached dwelling on a narrow site? The benefit this property had over comparable detached dwellings was the opportunity to build two levels directly on the party wall. This opened up an array of spatial possibilities allowing a ground floor extension of a new kitchen, dining, meals and living, and on the first floor, a master bed, workstation and en-suite. The response to the heritage overlay was one of complimentary difference. We searched for forms and materials that would create a relationship with the existing building but ultimately end up in a contemporary expression that would make no apology for being new. The resultant form is a black, single pitched volume that extrudes along the site reflecting same angle as the existing tiled roof, and switching dramatically in direction at the rear, responding to adjoining neighbours sun access and opening up to a north facing rear garden. The materials and new colours from the existing heritage portico are used internally and externally in the new addition. These common materials serve to bind the two parts together, reinforcing the idea that both old and new, so different in era and style, are borne of the same substance.  An important part of the owners brief was a separate dining area screened from the kitchen that would still maintain a spatial connection. This is the first space entered when leaving the old building. It is intended as a night time space, being the deepest into the site and is surrounded by a tactile combination of materials including white bagged brickwork referencing the face brickwork at the front of the building, white painted timber cladding connecting to the painted timber soffit of the portico, glossy white steel plate, exposed polished concrete, charcoal timber shiplap cladding and a timber veneer drinks cabinet. During the day, skylights and long windows wash perpendicular walls, so the space receives a reflected and ambient glow of light.

Seaview House | Parsonson Architects

The site sits just below the road facing east, looking across the botanical gardens out to Wellington Harbour.The new house accommodates a large family of different age groups over 3 levels, with parents and younger children’s bedroom upstairs, older children’s bedrooms and a swimming pool on the bottom level and a variety of living spaces in between on the middle level, laid out to capture views and all day sun.

Cedarvale Ravine House | Drew Mandel Architects

“This in-fill residential project is located at the threshold into the mid-town Toronto Cedarvale Ravine. Circulation modulates through a series of intimate and expansive spaces and courtyards to a glass-enclosed single-story volume at the rear of the property. It is the kitchen and family room and the heart of the house. Large expanses of glass dematerialize the stone building in order to engage and connect to its protected woodland setting. A cantilevered second story volume frames views, gestures to the landscape and allows the re-naturalized ravine planting to be drawn farther into the site. This abstract structure is intent on celebrating the everyday rituals of residential life and enhancing the slow unfolding experience of a special site.”

Bluff House | Robert Young

Cedarvale Ravine House by Drew Mandel Architects:

“This in-fill residential project is located at the threshold into the mid-town Toronto Cedarvale Ravine.

Circulation modulates through a series of intimate and expansive spaces and courtyards to a glass-enclosed single-story volume at the rear of the property. It is the kitchen and family room and the heart of the house. Large expanses of glass dematerialize the stone building in order to engage and connect to its protected woodland setting. A cantilevered second story volume frames views, gestures to the landscape and allows the re-naturalized ravine planting to be drawn farther into the site. This abstract structure is intent on celebrating the everyday rituals of residential life and enhancing the slow unfolding experience of a special site.”

Perched on a bluff overlooking Block Island Sound, the property is a flag lot at the edge of a new subdivision, bordered on three sides by water, wetlands, and woods. The client asked us to design a house with a minimal impact on the pristine landscape, maximum exposure to the views and all the amenities of a year round vacation home. The basic requirements of each space were considered integrally with the effects of sunlight, breezes and views. The house was conceived as a lens, continually framing and magnifying the subtle changes in the surrounding environment.

Rieteiland House | Hans van Heeswijk Architects

The Rieteiland House was designed on a plot of land that is part of a newly established island at IJburg on the outskirts of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. It asked for a house that is completely orientated on the panoramic views to the park and the landscape. The boxlike street facade is completely cladded with perforated horizontal aluminium panels, of which some can open automatically to make way for the windows behind them. The facade on the waterside is completely made out of glass sheets and sliding doors. The house is an alongated rectangular block of three floors and a basement. Inside, the space literally opens up. Most of the floors have a double hight and are open. In this way the house can be seen as a sort of spatial grandstand. By this on every level a panoramic view is created towards the west, the water and the park. Every night from the house magnificent sunsets can be watched. This creates a special holiday like atmosphere. In the core of the house, a three floors tall service block/tower contains toilets on each floor, storage spaces, installation shafts and a dumbwaiter.

House FF | Fritz + Fritz Arquitectos

This contemporary residence is a 2012 project by Fritz + Fritz Arquitectos that can be found in Nordelta, Tigre, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. Sliding  panels allow the living room to become an indoor/outdoor space that overlooks the swimming pool.

Housing building of seven units  |  METAFORM architecture

A discreet and reduced architecture with hidden openings based on a compact and pure volume. One of the main intentions of the project consists in the insertion of a residential building with 7 living units in its direct surroundings, marked by detached and solitary buildings in an suburban context. The use of a single light coloured material (fibre-cement panels) for the façade gives the building a monolithic aspect and preserves the quiet appearance. The composition of the different volumes merged to the continuous grid of the façade blurs the clear differentiation of the stacked floors, indeed often characteristic for an multi-storey housing project.

LA House | Studio Guilherme Torres

Studio Guilherme Torres designed the very impressive ‘LA House’ in Londrina, Brazil. www.guilhermetorres.com.br

Five Star Caesarea | Gal Marom Architects

Gal Marom Architects recently completed the Five Star Caesarea project. This 5,380 square foot, two-story, contemporary home in Caesarea, a town in Israel located mid-way between Tel Aviv and Haifa.

Casa G | Gudmundur Jonsson Arkitektkontor

The concept of Casa G is based on reading and feedback to the landscape it exists on. The characteristic landscape situation and view differences distinctively in each direction. Towards south the view to the sea and islands, towards north the characteristic triangular mountain, towards east the glacier and towards west the river and canyon. Those elements are the creator of the project, the transitions between the landscape views giving the entrance from the north and the curved plan giving a vitalized focus towards the seaside in south. When turning back the north view towards the mountain is as well enhanced with the widening view due to the fan-shape of the tilting wooden wall, being a mediator between the northern and southern landscape characteristic. The tilting is an answer and an interpretation of the glacier towards east, they are communicating and the only and huge window in that wall is creating “a painting” of the glacier experienced from the interior. The guest-wing of the building stretches to the canyon and the river towards west. Thus the building concept is a composition and dialog of views and experiences of the various nature at site. The House is constructed with in-situ concrete using special designed moldings with pattern that derives from an interpretation of a special landscape feature in few Icelandic mountains. This particular feature or structure of the mountain is called “Studlaberg” and is strangely enough associated with hexagonal pattern. The “Studlaberg” was the inspiration to the concrete moldings  The wooden wall is in Zebra and was preprepared outdoor in order to obtain the same weathered finish inside as outside. When the process during a year was sufficiently completed the wood aging/grayish-process was stopped with impregnation treatment. The boards are carved in different dimensions in order to create variety in the façade.

Design Space Magazine 2013 vol. Issue | THE MODERN HOME

For more than 7 years, readers have turned to Design Space for creative inspiration, coverage of the burgeoning design world, and profiles of groundbreaking designers and provocative projects reshaping the creative landscape. With our recent collaboration with lifestyles publication TRANZ!T, we continue identifying undiscovered talent—from furniture makers to fashion designers—Our new mission acts as a cultural barometer of global style in all its forms. Based in Chicago, Design Space is constantly expanding its ability to identify, celebrate, and support ideas that connect the present with the future. Design Space is the definitive lifestyles source for engaging, curated content covering all that’s inventive and compelling in global contemporary design. – 03.15.13 release date.

Foam Road Fingal Residence | Jam Architecture

Australian studio Jam Architecture designed this contemporary vacation home located in Fingal, a rural locality of the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, Australia.

New Edinburgh House | Christopher Simmonds Architect

“The linear composition of this house and site is interrupted by the volumes of lightwells, stairs and courtyard. The resulting interpenetration of views, light and space along the south side of the home result in strong indoor / outdoor connections. Heated exposed concrete floors ensure comfort in the presence of large glazed areas. Cabinetry in matte white lacquer and stained ash veneer flow through the interconnected kitchen, living and dining spaces. Reclaimed white oak boards clad the exterior volumes.”

Fascinating Swedish Home in Stockholm

Renowned architects Franson Wreland are behind this cozy and tasteful villa design with a total surface of 294 square meters, located in Stockholm, Sweden. The residence (discovered on Skeppsholmen) accommodates seven rooms and was especially developed for a large family. The wooden exterior surrounded by a beautiful garden is not very revealing. That is why, once inside, a potential visitor is likely to feel overwhelmed by the imposing layout and overall design.

Stylish Home in Stockholm | Exposure of a Masculine Personality

We love lofts and we love Scandinavian design! Add a touch of contemporary and a good designer, such as Jimmy Schonning and there you have, the perfect recipe to gain our hearts! Nothing works better for guys than a super sophisticated attic with creative storage solutions, sober colours and concrete, giving you a subtle feeling of industrial and functional approach towards the masculine lifestyle. This 495 square meters attic loft is more than a simple residential project for a client. It’s Jimmy Schonning’s private home, the place where ideas are stored or as other say, the place where the magic happens! We are talking about the creative process, of course!

Modern House Azores in Portugal, recently completed |  N2X Aarquitectos

We received photos and information about a modern weekend house on the Azores in Portugal, recently completed by N2X Aarquitectos. According to the press release we were sent, this project is located on a plot of land of some interest in a place called Lugar da Ribeira da Praia. The architects started from an unusual context, as this plot housed some ruins at a higher location, naturally kept apart from the surrounding lower agglomerate with which it apparently dialogs and which we then designated as “village”. The project’s idea is to “fill” the physical emptiness existing in these ruins by constructing two related modules that overlap each other and are similar to one another material-wise, but that differ in their limits, making evident the construction principle based on the loose and mismatched stone of the ruins and its surrounding walls.

Gorgeous House Embracing the Power of Simplicity, Singapore

Away from the city rush, the Mandai Courtyard House is a peaceful retreat, a particular residential project, defined in 2011 by the Atelier M+A in Mandai, Singapore. The uniqueness of this house consists in being a simple one-level bungalow, with a gorgeous interior courtyard.  Large sliding glass panels allow a smooth transition between the indoor and the outdoor, connecting the man with his authentic inhabitable environment. The living room and the dining area are also connected to the outdoor through a glossy, narrow wooden deck. Simple and refined, the interior lacks additional décor items, that might disrupt the mellow calm and tidy atmosphere.

Eco-Friendly Contemporary Residence in Montreal, Canada

As we head into the future, designers and architects are become increasingly concerned with building materials. Both are doing their best to build home that are not only stunning in design, but also have a small carbon footprint. The latest residence, dubbed Ecologia Montreal, is the perfect example of this. Designed by the team at Gervais Fortin, this modern dwelling is aiming for a Platinum LEED certification. The Montreal, Canada based home was built with sustainable design in mind, but without sacrificing contemporary design.

Maison R Sèvres | Colboc, Franzen & Associés

Pearl Valley 334 House Interior | Antoni Associates

A young family re-locating to the Western Cape was looking to change from city living to a more relaxed country lifestyle in which to bring up their young family and settled for the exclusive Pearl Valley Golf Estate located near Paarl, just 30 minutes away from Cape Town. The initial architectural footprint for the house was designed by Gauteng based architect, Gardiol Bergenthuin. The owners approached ANTONI ASSOCIATES to create an interior that was modern but with an emphasis on ‘barefoot luxury’ and the use of natural materials.

Archipelago House | Tham & Videgård Arkitekter

A light-weight building in glass and wood, a summerhouse in the Stockholm archipelago. The layout of the plan is generated by the specifics of the site. The house is placed on the flat surface between two mountain rocks, and turns simultaneously towards the sun in the South and frontally towards the sea in the West. Movement, ambiguous spaces and light. With the small rooms located in the back, the rest of the house stands out as an open platform criss-crossed by panes of sliding glass. The zig-zag layout also offers several outside spaces sheltered from strong winds. An outline towards the horizon. The horizontal character of the black stained exterior relates to the verticals of tall grown pines. A continuous dissolution of space in three steps. The house is organized in layers, the big rooms expand with an open relationship to the wooden deck. A horizontal wooden trellis diffuses daylight and enhances the character of one continuous space, where the distinction of interior/exterior becomes subordinated.

Exclusive Duplex Penthouse in Manhattan

This exclusive 5,000 square foot duplex penthouse is located in the 40 story Park Laurel condominium, a residential skyscraper built in 2000 and designed by Beyer Blinder Belle and Costas Kondylis in Mahanttan, New York City, USA. Located on the top two floors of the building, the five bedroom, five and a half bath apartment offers breathtaking 360 degree views Central Park and the city’s skyline. Offered at $26.5 million.

Chelsea Hill House | Kariouk Associates Architecture

The house is conceived as a very simple masonry volume: “the foundation of the family” which overlooks a beautiful river valley.  The spaces most used by the teenagers, their bedrooms, a TV area, and sports equipment storage, are all placed on the ground level. Durable surfaces such as a radiant concrete floor are used throughout this level. The formal areas of the house, the living area, dining area, kitchen, but also the master bedroom and bathroom, are all located upstairs and, as such, are given the most privileged views. Here, as well as on the stairway that leads to the main living level, more rich materials such as wood floors and glass railings are introduced with higher ceilings.  While all of the noisy and messy areas fall out of view by being placed directly beneath the living areas, the two levels are joined by the double-height entryway and hallway below.  In this way, the primary living level is perceived to float lightly above the serene vista beyond.  Though the home is constructed of fundamentally simple, industrial materials, one significant “cushy” indulgence was included: a bathtub suspended in the double-height space that looks over the valley.  This tub, sunken in the floor, is accessed from the master bedroom and, if needed, is closed off from the adjacent living area by a sliding frosted-glass screen.

G House | Paz Gersh Architects

Tel Aviv-based architecture studio, Paz Gersh Architects, completed the G House in Ramat HaSharon, Israel. The layout of this modern family home blends interior and exterior living via a large balcony that connects all public areas, such as the living room, dining room and kitchen.

44 Belvedere | Guido Costantino Design Office

Guido Costantino Design Office have designed the 44 Belvedere residence in Oakville, Ontario, Canada.

Castlecrag Residence | TOPOS Design Studio

Design mood was based on a painting genre and colour palette. Creating a symbiosis between the current state of the interior space and the one we are introducing to further complementing the space – to provide depth and to give the client space their own character and soul.

Santpoort Rail House | Zecc Architects

Zecc Architects have designed the remodel and expansion of a historic railway cottage in Santpoort-Noord, The Netherlands.

Transparent Home Reflecting the Presence of a Lush Forest in Belgium

Govaert & Vanhoutte Architecten designed the elegant Villa Roces,  a modern home located in Bruges, Belgium. The project exhibits a high degree of transparency while providing a response to the small amount of natural lighting that comes from living in a wooded area. A single rectangular volume resembling a large transparent box was cleverly designed inside and out, in order to meet the living expectations of the inhabitants. A 50m long wall functions as a backdrop for the transparent volume and ensures a good level of privacy. The use of split levels explain the overall low hight of the residence, with the objective of minimizing its effect on the environment. The kitchen, dining and living room are located on the full-height bottom level. Situated one above the other, the bedroom section of the children area and the master bedroom inspire coziness and serenity. [Photography by Tim Van De Velde]

1060 Woodland Drive in Beverly Hills

Mauricio Umansky of The Agency has listed this contemporary home in Beverly Hills, California.

Surprising Merger: Edwardian Home | Cutting Edge Extension in Melbourne

A stylish Edwardian home in Melbourne was recently renovated and added a surprising cutting edge extension, resulting in a generous space, characterized by a high degree of comfort. Currently on sale here, the 585 square meter property boasts four bedrooms and five bathrooms. According to the official description, “an intelligently zoned layout features upstairs children’s wing, luxurious parents’ retreat and family area flowing to a brilliant outdoor oasis with tiled gas/solar heated IG pool, bore-irrigated garden and paved BBQ terrace. The epitome of family excellence with a sophisticated modern edge; security and privacy are paramount with this exceptional home including remote-control gate, auto garage, video intercom and card/keypad entry on a beautifully landscaped garden”. The interior design mixes classic elegance with highly modern decorating features. This makes walking through the rooms an experience in itself, as each of the interiors has its own unique personality.

Studio SC | Studio MK27

The architectural project of this photography studio, specialized in food photos, emerged from an internal competition held at StudioMK27. The team was divided into 3 groups that worked on the development of different ideas for one day. From these first rough sketches a new project, which, in part, was a synthesis of all these sketches and, in part, an entirely new project, was elaborated. In the definitive design, the land was longitudinally divided into two. The Northern part, with a width of 7.2m and a length of 43.5m, was reserved for a generous garden. This space functions as an internal esplanade for the building. The Southern part, with a width of 12.2m and a length of 43.5m, in turn, was totally built and contains the program of the studio. The entrance is via the garden: large sliding metal doors open in their entirety and create a total continuity between the central emptiness and the external space. The main space of the studio is cut by a concrete walkway suspended from the ceiling. This element connects two wooden boxes and configures an internal overlook. On the ground floor, the first wooden volume, closer to the parking lot, is the reception area and a room for image treatment and, on the first floor a work-room lit by an internal patio. The second volume, on the ground floor, houses storerooms and a technical kitchen, which prepares the food for the photos and, on the first floor, an image treatment room. “

C1 House | Dettling Architekten

Dettling Architekten have designed the C1 House in Karlsruhe, Germany.

Contemporary Hope Street Geelong West Residence in Australia

One of the most spectacular residences found in the land down under comes to us from the design team Steve Domoney Architecture in this Hope Street Geelong West residence. The project was recently completed in 2011, and the end result is quite stunning. The multi level home features an exterior that fuses elements of a cozy cottage with a contemporary dwelling. The home includes everything one would need along with some nice amenities such as a pool, retreat, gym, roof terrace, and game room, all while being just a few blocks from the beach. What more could you ask for from a bachelor pad?

Tribeca Apartment 1

This apartment renovation by SAS for an artist employed paint, careful detailing, and tonality to generate a strong atmospheric effect.Without moving any walls and by simply adding or changing door positions, sizes and detailing, using paint effectively, and considering the potential atmospheric role of all surfaces, our proposal suggested that through the use of color and tone, the entire mood and quality of a space could be shifted in an architectural, rather than decorative, manner. To serve the needs of our client, only a walk-in closet was added to the project brief while a second bedroom was turned into a study and office. Additionally, SAS custom designed all millwork including new cabinetry, library shelving, a kitchen island and casework, custom medicine cabinet, and air conditioner shrouds.

Palermo Street | David Watson Architect Pty Ltd Architecture

Writer’s Studio | Cooper Joseph Studio

The writer’s studio is a place for one person to work, read and listen to music. Open vistas to a pond and fields are to one side, the other side is immersed in deep woods. The overall impression of the structure is deceivingly simple. Each façade is composed with distinct apertures specifically arranged to the light, the views and tailored, like a bespoke suit to his size and eye level. The inside is, uncluttered and elegant, unified by the use of walnut.

Casa en Aravaca | Aidhos Studio

Madrid-based architecture firm Aidhos Studio has designed the Casa en Aravaca project. Completed in 2008, this two story contemporary home is located in Aravaca, a city of the province of Madrid, Spain.

South African House | SAOTA & OKHA

This magnificent house was the product of two firms, SAOTA and OKHA. SAOTA built the exterior while OKHA designed the sensational interior. The house sits on a cliff in Nettleton Road, the most exclusive street in Cape Town, South Africa. Glass bi-fold doors allow for a boundary-free experience from every side. One side of the house features an expansive seascape perspective, while another side features a stylish garden with outdoor living area set into the mountain face behind. Wooden paneling surrounds both the bedrooms and the living room effectuating a sophisticated neutral décor. On the outside, an infinity pool runs along the edge of a huge sundeck, where the water appears to drop off into the sea.

Ipês House by StudioMK27 | Marcio Kogan

Ten years ago, when StudioMK27 tried to do a project using exposed concrete, many builders said that this was practically impossible. Yeah, Right – Brazil that has a vast modern tradition in the use of raw concrete? During a determinate period, in the 90′s, the use of the material declined sharply, restricted to the few architects that used it experimentally and sporadically, without fixing a constructive know-how. Concrete is, on the other hand, a type of x-ray of the construction and of the passing of time, where the surface is impregnated not only with the smallest defects but also the knots of the wood. It is liquid stone, as has already been said. The experience of constructing in raw concrete during these last ten years has shown StudioMK27 the impracticality of making an absolutely perfect material. The House of Ipês incorporates this experience of design and construction in exposed concrete.

In this house the material is used in a radical manner throughout the upper volume and, as such, the large concrete box appears to be floating atop a glass volume. In the living room, which continues to the veranda and the garden, the doors open entirely, diluting the division between interior and exterior. The main entrance is done through pivoting panels that also open entirely to the front garden. In the internal space, a long irregularly-shaped sofa wriggles around the room, constructing a space with no hierarchy among the different orientations. On the top floor, a TV room distributes the circulation to the bedrooms, which are lit by a wood block on the concrete wall of the facade. The wooden brises offer the interior great thermal comfort and makes it possible to totally control the lighting.

The structure of the house incorporates large spans which accentuate the Idea of a floating Box, besides propitiating a totally free and continuous space. The use of raw concrete refers to modern buildings, aesthetically and functionally, as in a dialogue with this modern architecture. The House of Ipês, with its grand spans and brute material, transpires a sobriety and the concrete impregnated by the passage of time, exposes the existence of the life of the building.

House in Megurohoncho | Torafu Architects

This is a renovation project of a 40 year-old reinforced concrete building that originally housed storage and office spaces from the basement to the 2nd floor and residential spaces on the 3rd floor. Our current design focused on the building’s exterior and living quarters on the 2nd and 3rd floors. The second phase of the project is set to convert the basement and 1st floor into commercial spaces. First, all interior partitioning was done away with to free up space. Towering above the surrounding houses, the 3rd floor is well lit and accommodates the living space, while the 2nd floor offers a comparatively more private space. An aperture was made at the center of the 3rd floor and a large piece of furniture with built-in stairs was placed directly underneath it to create a line of flow inside the building. The slightly off-center furnishing loosely partitions the ensemble, thus creating spaces with different personalities around it. Atop of this piece of furniture connecting the upper and lower floors there is a wide landing that makes another small floor. By making the long bay window on the 2nd floor serve as a big desk or remodeling the veranda on the 3rd floor into a space leading to the entrance, etc., we strived to make newly added elements coexist with the remnants from the existing building and give it an overall sense of unity.”

Nevis Pool and Garden Pavilion | Robert M. Gurney

Located in a neighborhood bordering Washington, DC, this suburban site has the advantage of being located adjacent to woodlands. A contemporary house surrounded by mature trees and manicured gardens anchors the site. A new swimming pool, stone walls, and terraces located behind the existing house organize the rear yard and establishes a dialogue between the existing house and a new pavilion. New paths, trees and structured plantings reinforce the geometry.

The new pavilion, intended for year round use, is strategically located to provide a threshold between the structured landscape and adjacent woodland. A low-pitched, terne coated stainless steel roof floats above a dry-stacked slate wall and mahogany volume. Five steel-framed glass doors along with frameless glass walls and mitered glass corners enclose the space, creating an environment that is surrounded by views of the structured landscape, pool and the adjacent woodland. The doors pivot to open the space much of the year while a large Rumford fireplace and heated floors provide a cozy counterpoint in winter months.

The interior contains a stainless steel kitchen component with seating, along with a small living space anchored by the fireplace. The blue stone flooring, stone and mahogany walls, and Douglas-fir ceiling create a warm, natural space. This new pavilion is intended to provide shelter from the harsh natural elements while simultaneously allowing the occupant to enjoy both the beautifully structured garden and the native, natural surroundings.

Block Townhouse Interior | Cecconi Simone

The 662 s.f. show suite is a careful study in urban living, its manifest simplicity belying its essential complexity. It embodies the modern impulse for openness, unity, and fluidity, within which functional parts are accommodated effortlessly. The character of the different zones is easy to read though their interrelationship is dense and multi-faceted. Three distinct yet continuous areas – dine-cook-live – are defined clearly within the spatial totality, linked by an interplay of surface planes in cadence; horizontal and vertical, matte and reflective, transparent and opaque, dark and light. Deep espresso, custom millwork contracts the space, creating intimacy and warmth, while the white lacquer, custom kitchen island provides visual expansion and release. The oak stair on a single stringer behind floor-to-ceiling plate glass is highlighted with LEDs, imbuing it with complexity and dimensional depth. As part of the overall design discourse, there are few freestanding or decorative furnishings within the suite. The integrity of its interior architecture stands on its own, enlivened with carefully-calibrated artificial and natural light. Sliding veneer panels – for concealed storage, media, and food preparation – maintain the model’s architectonic focus, ensuring clear and extended sight lines. The eye is led through the space where its discrete elements are introduced then fused into a seamless whole.

Home Resembling a Wooden Vessel in Norway | Villa Storingavika

Villa Storingavika was designed by Bergen-based studio Saunders Architecture and is located in the outskirts of Bergen, Norway. Especially developed for a family with two children, the villa overlooks breathtaking fjords and a stretch of Norway’s west coast archipelago and answers its inhabitants needs for peaceful and comfortable living. According to the architects,“Villa Storingavika is a textbook example of a regional modernism, combining the modern gesture of wide spanning platforms of space with the traditional forms and materials of Bergen’s light-framed timber houses. The building’s proportions are also akin to Bergen’s maritime architecture and its long history of two-story timber buildings. Translating this established building approach to a restrained, contemporary volume links the house to its context, and ties it indelibly to the site”. The overall impression one gets when looking at this residence (and its striking natural environment) is that of timber vessel, offering unobstructed views of the coastline.

Elysium Lot 176 | Richard Kirk Architect

Richard Kirk Architect was one of several architects invited in 2005 to participate in the Elysium development which is an ambitious 189 lot boutique housing sub-division on a site to the west of the centre of Noosa on the Sunshine Coast. Elysium initially adopted architecture as the key driver for the amenity and quality of the environment for the entire development. Lot 176 is the first of the series and is in effect a prototype using the same materials, construction, and spatial ideas as a shared palette.

The residence on Lot 176 is located on a ridge along the west of the Elysium development with views to the rear into extant landscape and a golf course beyond.  The residence occupies the majority of the allowable building envelope and then provides a carved out two story volume in the centre to allow light and ventilation to all interior spaces.  The carved interior volume provides an internal focus visually and functionally. The inside and outside are united by seamless transitions and the consistent use of a restrained palette of materials. Materials are generally timbers left to weather naturally, zinc, and self-finished oxide renders which will improve their appearance with time, allowing the houses to merge with the landscape with an overall desire for applied finishes to be kept to a minimum.

Urban Cubes | KLab Architecture

In Cyclades the “Chora” the main village used to be mainly on a hill or a mountain in order to be protected from the pirates that were ruling the seas in the past centuries. The white cubes are built on top of each other allowing ventilation and sun to access every part of the house. The same houses very dense were creating the defensive walls of the “chora”. Until the mid 80s, Athinian buildings had a certain typology at least the vast majority of them that was constructed in the 50’s-60’s and 70’s. Multistory buildings that had floors of identical size, which housed various apartments and which were fronted by a small narrow balcony that was running across the façade, while the top floor had two or three penthouses which were recessed from the bulk of the core building frame providing larger verandas for the richer inhabitants of the last floors.

Pagrati is a densely populated district located on slopes and hills and built through a system where the owner of the land transferred the plot to the contractor in return for a number of units in the designated building to be constructed on the plot. Such practice called “antiparochi” has created Athens. It was mainly concentrated in commercial areas, so outside the district central zone  buildings resulted sometimes of smaller height and size  and which usually housed one or two families. The ever changing provisions of the Building Code regarding permissible height and ways of counting building areas has resulted in a mosaic of styles and constructions of residences in the area where “urban cubes” building exists.

We defined our new apartment building as a paradox. It resembles that of an urban village, similar to the ones in Cyclades but rather, a vertical one, an urban antidote. Every apartment building is a small village within itself. It is a unique society where every inhabitant is so different from the other. In “urban cubes” each floor reflects this individuality as one floor differs from another but lies under the same society rules, all in all being signified by a white cantilevered cube hung by the retaining exposed concrete walls. Our party walls made by exposed concrete with few small openings are used metaphorically as the defensive walls of our village.

The apparent austerity of concrete coexists with the curved staircase that separates the two exposed concrete party walls. Small openings which give light to the apartments are part of an elaborate plan so as the party walls cease to be blind, but are designed to be consistent and work as the form is based on the unseen interesting back facades of apartment buildings of the 60s and 70s that were almost not have been designed at all and made by chance. The building’s floor plan is U shaped with the uncovered part splitting the building in two parts which allows the creation of 14 bright and open apartments. Viewed from the two roads Arryvou and Olympiadou the building creates 2 towers. The building has been extricated from the surrounding urban sprawl and breaks away from the saw cut typically Athenian section producing a dynamic playful façade.

Modern Contemporary Residence | Studio Doblado Arquitectos

Studio Doblado Arquitectos completed the design for a 2,786 square foot contemporary residence located in La Planicie, Lima, Peru. For a total budget of $150,000, this project has two levels, an impressive swimming pool and a highly modern layout: “The house is built on a longitudinal lot, therefore most spaces have views that avoid the patios.The first level has a living room, dining room, kitchen, guest bathroom, master bedroom, master bathroom and service area. The second level has two bedrooms, lounge and bathrooms.The internal movement allows two independent circuits, by way of a promenade, entering through the garage (owner) or on the terrace (visitor).” House in La Planicie showcases an elegant and functional interior design, with the ability of maximizing the indoor space.

La Boyita Residence | Martin Gomez Arquitectos

“With a unique plot, due to its size, location and views, the owner could only dream for a relaxed and peaceful summer house. in order to satisfy his demand we decided enhance its views while protecting its outdoor areas.

The project consists of five blocks which contains a main block with a living and dining area with the best views to the sea and its swimming pool, which is completely protected from the wind placed in the center of the project. the other blocks contain a service area and other guest room blocks. this independence was crucial to make his guests get the feeling of being in alone in a hotel.

The gallerias that surround these concrete blocks end up creating the idea os outdoor living rooms and creating a fluid transition between the interior and the exterior with a fantastic panoramic view. The materials used are concrete, wood, iron and glass.”

Dream Summer House  | Three Panoramic Dining Spaces

Set in a wooded area in Stockholm, Sweden, this modern summer house sits at the forest edge overlooking the sea. Spreading over 250 square meters, Villa Plus by Waldemarson Berglund Arkitekter is composed of a long and narrow first floor, almost fully glazed, and a perpendicular second floor with an impressive framed view from the upstairs reading nook. Reached via a lightwell displaying a black and white staircase, this uplifted, isolated spot can become a retreat into yourself or you can observe the weather changing, even dining upstairs. On the same note, the playful mixture of red, black and white in the ground floor dining space creates the wish of being the one who faces the view rather than the brightly colored wall while dining.

love how the third possible outdoor dining space in the back offers the freeing feeling of being outside and opens the views to the sea through a glass “break” in the volume. This allowed the architects to create a more private set of spaces. The load-bearing walls are built from hand-picked panels of Swedish pine, integrating the contemporary summer house into its surroundings. Constructed on the borderland between rocks, grass and water, Villa Plus took two years to complete, but the final result is inviting and stunningly open.

LifeSpaceJourney | Melbourne Australia

Design Space Magazine Mention.. Link

Finestre Villas | CC Arquitectos

Enveloping spaces in white prisms, the wooden interiors stay sheltered from the exterior, while staying introverted and integrated to context. Due to the importance of vegetation and visual environment of the area, the interiors blend at all times with the latter elements. Facing the ocean, the spaces are oriented to seek shelter from the sun, in a sober and quiet atmosphere, with the idea of letting the natural environment surrounding the site be the main character.

Dulieu Residence | Studio MWA

“Sites like this are a dream. Quite often you have the feeling you are living away from the rest of the world being hugged by nature. The fantastic view, total privacy, site approach is from about 75 m above the site, its proximity to the River, are just some of details that make the site special. Being located just on the edge of the 100 year flood zone; it’s a natural amphitheatre with bush surrounding hills in close proximity. From the start a decision was made to slightly elevate the site further. I suppose the final design, building setting, choice of materials, textures and colours say more than I can express with words. The images do the talking for themselves.

Together with the client a brief was developed, but from the start it was obvious that a simple single story design using natural materials, quality orientation to capture sun to take advantage of passive solar energy heating, rainwater and spring water collection, environmentally responsible sewer treatment, with a sustainable approach was ideal. A Black butterfly was definitely one of the initial ideas and even in execution looks like a beautiful creature. And the final house is easy to live in, with indoor-outdoor flow, low maintenance, but the openness and simplicity are the main characteristics of this design. To create a residential project which has nearly 70% of exterior walls in glass is always very challenging in order to follow the standards and requirements, but we achieved all that and even more.

When the client’s start to call a newly completed Project HOME, you know that you achieved something special. In this case, after moving to their new house Dianne and Barry give to entire property and house “new name “ – PARATIHO, which in Maori language means paradise. I suppose it says everything.

The House has 3 double bedrooms with a studio. The Main Master bedroom has an ensuite and walk-in wardrobe. House includes 3 individual living areas, and a triple garage. The two bathrooms and a separate visitor toilet like the ensuite, have possible disabled access. The layout allows for separation between the formal living and dining area and separate family living and kitchen area. The third lounge is close to the visitor’s bedrooms, giving opportunity for easy living, for the extended family. All rooms have direct access outside in same level with possibility to use the glorious outdoor space from anywhere. Around house are extensive decking, garden with surrounding native bush and few small lakes – pond areas.”

Villa T | Architrend Architecture

The context is agricultural, a plateau with sandstone walls to divide the various portions of property. Once marked by the productive outposts of the “masserie”, farms with cultivated fields and cattle, today the Ibleo territory has changed its look. Instead of scattered farmhouses, isolated and divided by farmlands, construction has gradually filled spaces, erasing the network of isolated architectural complexes gathered around courtyards, like ‘pacific forts’. Nevertheless, the site of this project has partially conserved that precious idea of ‘isolation’, and the whole design comes to grips with this context, constructing a direct relationship with the landscape, faced openly on two sides, while emerging from it thanks to an eloquent contemporary design. The program of the compositional process is that of a large single-family house, alone at the center of a meadow, bordered by the free, linear horizon of the plateau. Here, in the midst of the grassy terrain, treated as virgin land for construction, the architecture stands out clearly as a complete entity with definite limits.

Lake House | David Guerra

Showing off all its 340 square meters, the Lake House designed by David Guerra Architecture is located in Minas Gerais, Brazil. The highly inclined terrain on which the residence was built gave the architect the possibility to build a box-like structure with suspended balconies. The inhabitants are a mother and her adult son, so the house must fulfil their needs for privacy and comfort, as well as entertainment. The framed landscape ensured by a great position adds to the value, while the collection of spaces is highly personalized. The son benefits from a bedroom with a separate entrance, located on the lower floor, right next to the games room. The gourmet kitchen is also located on the lower floor, where there are also two additional bedrooms and a service area. A balcony and a deck make the connection to the fresh air and beautiful panoramas. The first floor features the garage, laundry room, living and dining room, balcony, a guest bedroom and the master bedroom.

House O | Stands Architects

 Nagoya-based studio Stands Architects (Hiroshi Yokozeki, Yuji Shimiz, Kyoko Ikuta) recently completed a clever modern home entitled  ‘House O’ and located in Mie, Japan. The residence features a cleverly integrated garage, that can be observed from the interior. According to the architects, “the sheltered car park serves as a physical extension of the road, drawing in visual focus through a contrasting stark-white finish. a glass partition draws a thin line between the indoor-outdoor boundary, allowing the parked automobiles to be on view from within the house. Pivoting around a central courtyard, the layout is organized in a spiral with varying degrees of privacy throughout. From the entrance, programs such as the bedroom and bathroom are nestled in behind the courtyard, while the kitchen and living area open up around the garage. Corners of the rectangular layout is shaved off to further establish a sense of motion in the circulation. A small loft area over the kitchen serves as a multi-functional platform with a view“.

Collector’s House | Anderson Wise

Austin-based architecture and design studio Andersson Wise has completed the Collector’ House project.“This project was an extensive renovation of an existing residence built in the late 1980′s on a wooded site in west Austin, Texas, USA. The living room, dining rooms, and master suite were redesigned along with the swimming pool and entry deck areas of the exterior.”

Stylish Contemporary Apartment Overlooking the Baltic Sea

Welcome to a contemporary apartment that showcases style and inspires positive energy. Located in Saltsjöbaden, in Nacka Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden, the crib is a statement of beautiful Scandinavian design. Found on Per Jansson, the apartment has a total of three rooms and stretches over an area of 105 square meters. The core of the house is an open plan living room, featuring simple modern decorations, with plenty of seating space for guests. The kitchen is separated through a bar and all the appliances are stylishly hidden. Above the kitchen counter there is an eye-catching mosaic wall. A dining table for six, with royal-sized chairs adds a welcoming touch. The building that accommodates this apartment overlooks the Baltic Sea, which is probably why a large decorative boat was chosen to adorn the socializing area.

40 Square Meter Apartment | Sfaro Architects

Sfaro Architects recently sent us one of their recent projects, a renovation of a 40 square meter apartment in Tel-Aviv, which features some interesting design ideas. Here are a few words describing the project from the architects: “Tel-Aviv has seen soaring housing prices in the last 3 years, a phenomenon which caused many people to renovate their existing apartments instead of selling and buying bigger ones. Same story here, where the owner decided to transform her studio apartment into a 1 bedroom, including storage units, a large separate kitchen and a full size queen bedroom. As a design solution, we chose to condense all the programmatic functions and storage units into a cube which was centered in the space, thus dividing the apartments into 4 zones, while maintaining a 360 degree circulation around it, which makes the space seem endless and bigger than it actually is. By adding sliding doors that disappear into the cube, the space can be altered according to the time of day and the various needs of the owner, contributing further more to the sense of a multi-functional round space.” I find the layout of this apartment ingenious and innovative.

Canadian Modern Home | Cecconi Simone

Interior design firm  Cecconi Simone created a contemporary model home for a townhouse community in Toronto, Canada. Her work is part of the “Trinity Bellwoods Town + Homes” project and implied the development of three unit types within the community. The result is dynamic, finished in a lovely palette of white, black, walnut and yellow. According to the designer, “custom mill work, with alternating closed and open storage, spans the full length of the ground level, generating a continuous, horizontal composition of solids and voids. The stair, kitchen island tower and integrated exhaust hood introduce modulating elements of verticality. The master suite features a custom walnut-laminate sleep unit, incorporating a bed, side tables, sofa and display niches with LEDs. The en-suite contains a specially-designed vanity with integrated white Corian sinks, counter and backsplash and open and closed storage cabinets in white and walnut laminate. Custom wall-mounted medicine cabinets are accessed via a pivoting mirror”. Enjoy the photos!

Hill-Maheux Cottage | Kariouk Associates

In this small, weekend and vacation retreat, the clients and their daughter seek to take refuge from the world. As such, the home is introverted; but the clients also desired that the house achieve a maximum connection to its beautiful, forested, lake-side site. Last, it is important to note that this home is built as a place the clients will keep for their entire lives and then pass on to their daughter; the clients, a couple each involved in art conservation, sought a home whose design would itself be conceived as a vessel for the conservation of the family memories that will continue to unfold here.

The design of the cottage is simple: two “bars” of living space that are joined by an elliptical loft hovering over the foyer and giving shelter to the entry below. One bar is private, containing bedrooms, bathrooms, and storage; one bar is public, containing the kitchen, dining, and living areas. The elliptical loft is the domain of the daughter.

Rather than “walling-in” the two ground-level volumes to achieve privacy, they are made with large expanses of glass and are sited at the edge of the property where vegetation is most dense. The underside of the loft volume and the fireplace surround are surfaced with a “quilt” of metal plates, including copper and zinc printing plates that the clients received from a printmaker friend. Many of the plates are etched with landscapes from the original printmaker, but many are etched with works created by the couple and their daughter. There are, however, many yet-unetched plates that can be removed, worked by the clients and their friends visiting the cottage, and then reinstalled. In this way, the house keeps a record of its past.

vB4 Home Extension | dmvA

Architecture company dmvA designed a modern and original home extension entitled “vB4” and located within the countryside of Brecht, Germany. According to the project developers, “the extension from the existing  form resulted in a floating volume built with trapezoidal wooden structures. The new timber parts followed the same frames and studs as the original. These borders next to each other connect the old and new space creating a new library, washroom and entrance area. The exterior is recladded in black stained siding positioned vertically to create a similar repetitive motion as the surrounding forest. The back and front of the home is fully glazed with a movable partition wall which allows for uninterrupted views of the adjacent garden and pond.” The new addition was planned on a challenging surface of only 26 square meters, while considering the strict building regulations of the municipality. Have a look at the photos below and tell us if you believe the lack of space had any negative effect on the “look” of the new building.

173 Park Street Residence | Joeb Moore + Partners  

173 Park Street Residence is an impressive three level home designed by Greenwich-based studio Joeb Moore + Partners and located in New Canaan, Connecticut, United States. The project occupies an area of 5,300 square feet and is structured on three levels. According to the architects, the goal was to “construct a state of the art building, incorporating contemporary and green technologies and products directed by world-class design. This project has a modern, flexible floor plan with all the amenities.  There is a large, multifunctional lower level with a zoned apartment.  Amenities include three fireplaces, central vacuum and high-performance appliances, and a spa master bath including a steam sauna and a whirlpool.  This project also has an extensive roof top lifestyle program including an exterior deck with a hot tub, cookout center and a fireplace.  There is an elevator encouraging this program which travels from the lower level to roof top.” Sustainable features of this home include  solar-assisted electric power and hot-water heater.

Static House | TWS & Partners

In response to having a limited size of the home and a big idea, the architects try to elaborate and combine two courtyard spaces, arranged vertically and close to each other. The material used in this building is light and bright with an earthy color scheme to achieve a sense of natural, contemplative and serene living environment.

Using a modern, simple, minimalist style of furniture, the architect’s aim was to recreate a warm palette, combining some ethnical and classic pieces of decorative furniture and artwork.

Peconic Bay Residence | Stelle Architects

Peconic Bay Residence was designed by Bridgehampton-based studio Stelle Architects and is located in Suffolk County, New York, USA. According to the architects, “the house is sited on a bluff overlooking the bay within a grove of cedar and locust trees. Discrete volumes of varying public and private functions are organized around an axial promenade, extending to the outdoors. Single story volumes, separated by glass interstitial spaces, were utilized to lessen the overall impact of the structures while retaining lofty interiors spaces requested by the owners. Low maintenance, sustainable materials were carefully assembled. An efficient geothermal heating and cooling system along with highly energy efficient glazing and an advanced building insulation system resulted in a structure that substantially exceeded the requirements under the Energy Star rating system.” The interior design of this home is very tasteful, featuring contemporary arrangements and an overall intelligent layout.

Fray Leon House | 57 Studio

Organized around the imposing old trees on the property, the H-shaped Fray Leon House showcases a complex contemporary architecture that depicts the modern connection between man-made residences and the surrounding nature: “The interior spaces are organized around a native tree (Cryptocaria alba) that accompanies the access from the south. Through the hall, the presence of an enormous avocado tree (Persea americana) is framed towards the north, and a private wing towards the east is delimited by an old macrocarpa cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa) and some crape myrtles.

Over the central wing, a second private level extends in all of its length, leaving on one end a terrace at the height of the tree’s crowns. On the west wing, the public spaces open towards the northern garden through a porch, and the service areas direct their view towards an ashleaf maple (Acer negundo). The wing of services extends towards the south by means of a roof with an opening that surrounds a native Crinodendron patagua that separates the closed garage from the rest of the house.” Designed by Santiago-based architects 57 Studio, the single-family residence located in Santiago, Chile, displays a modern collection of spaces that occupies three levels.

Sustainable Contemporary | Brooks Avenue House in California

Brooks Avenue House was designed by Canada-based company Bricault and is located in Venice, a neighborhood in California  According to the architects, “the clients for this project needed more space to accommodate the needs of a growing family, but they were reluctant to leave their location in Venice – one of the few walkable neighborhoods in Los Angeles. The solution was to maintain and remodel their existing 2000 square foot home, while creating a 1700 square foot addition and courtyard on the rear lane side.

On the main floor, a sequence of pivoting doors opens the house to the courtyard, while on the second floor, windows fold back and full-height exterior panels slide into walls. A system of cedar battens serve as a shading device along much of the addition. The house features a high-efficiency combination boiler, which supplies both radiant in-floor heating and domestic hot water.

A hot water recirculation loop makes hot water available “on demand,” while reducing consumption. Other features include low-flush toilets and non-toxic, low-VOC finishes, which are used throughout the house“. The result is a sustainable, modern home which meets the inhabitants’ need for an outdoor relaxing space.

The Hill House | Johnston Marklee Architecture

Completed in October 2004, the Hill House was designed under challenging conditions generated by modern problems of building on a hillside.  Located in Pacific Palisades, California, while the site for the house offers panoramic views from Rustic and Sullivan Canyons to Santa Monica Bay, the irregularly shaped lot is situated on an uneven, downhill slope.  With the canonical Eames House nearby, the 3300 square foot Hill House provocatively continues the Case Study House tradition of experimentation and reinvention of Los Angeles lifestyles.

Increasingly in Los Angeles, local hillside ordinances, building codes, coastal regulations, and design review boards have imposed restrictions on hillside construction, with the goal of preserving the profile of the natural hillside terrain by limiting building heights, location and massing. The Hill House sets a new precedent for hillside building by liberating itself from these restraints – not through evasion – but by strategically transforming these stringent criteria into a sculptural and efficient design solution, that seamlessly engages with the surrounding site.

The massing of the Hill House subsequently results from two economically driven development criteria: To maximize the volume allowed by the zoning requirements; and to minimize contact with the natural terrain.  Recalling Hugh Ferriss’s vision of a Manhattan skyline literally interpreting the zoning laws as building form, the Hill House adopts the maximum zoning envelope as its form.  The initial envelope is shaped from a combination of property setbacks in plan and hillside height restrictions in section, and is further refined three-dimensionally according to structural criteria.

The Solo House | Pezo Von Ellrichshausen

Chilean Architectural firm, Pezo Von Ellrichshausen, have completed the beautiful Solo House in the middle of a native forest outside of Barcelona. The massive monolithic and sculptural piece of standing architecture acts as a private home which is supported by a blind podium, hidden below in the trees. The team experimented with different types of rooms throughout the unique home, explaining that “transparent and symmetrical rooms are articulated by open corners.

A portico too narrow as to hold a static room and too deep as to hold a vigilance balcony. On the platform’s aerial world there is a single interior room. This room has no roof.” Mauricio Pezo and Sofia Von Ellrichshausen, the duo that spearheaded the project lifted the house parallel to the trees, up towards the skies, to give it’s owners optimal vistas and views, providing a magical feeling of being up in an open tree house.

The Solo House is finished in warm tones of concrete which complement the natural surroundings. Glass windows and doors are used to take advantage of all views, the idea of this gives priority to the surroundings over personal privacy; and makes nearly every outside room double as a porch or patio.

Throughout the home, unique pieces of contemporary furniture are scattered, adding small pops of color to the monochromatic architecture. A great feature to the Solo House is it’s modern square pool where the water reaches all the way to the top, and the views extend for miles!

The Six Courtyard Houses | Ibarra Rosano Design Architects

This urban infill project is comprised of courtyard houses. The heart of each home is a private courtyard that expands the experience of the home by blurring the line between inside and out. While the Six takes cues from Tucson’s architectural past – central courtyard, plastered masonry walls, and minimal western exposure – it is an emphatic expression of our place in history.

Hewitt Avenue House | Altius Architecture Inc.

Our clients sought to recreate some of the well lit and open spaces they became accustomed to in their current loft. We designed this house to bring maximum natural light down through the interiors by inserting large operable skylights into the roof and cutting away floor plates to allow the light and air to penetrate from top to bottom.

Large lift and slide glazed panels open the facades up to the outdoors.

Modern Home Designed for Relaxation in New Zealand | Sumich Chaplin Architects

Located in the Western end of Matarangi Beach, New Zealand, this residence was designed by Matt Chaplin of Sumich Chaplin Architects in collaboration with Jen Pack and was especially created for active relaxation. The first level consists of an open living plan which integrates a dining area, a kitchen, a place for storing wine and two modern fireplaces. All these make this part of the house the perfect place for family gatherings and socializing.

The first floor also accommodates a guest bedroom with ensuite, powder room and laundry. The living room opens up to a covered backyard patio featuring a modern outdoor relaxation area. The second floor is divided into two parts: two bedrooms and a bathroom in one wing, and on the other- a master suite with walk in robe, spacious ensuite with a bath and private lounge.