Coppin Dockray restored the original structure to its former glory and added double glazing, extra insulation, and other features to boost its thermal efficiency and comfort.Topped with a distinctive sloped roof that mimics the steep terrain, Ansty Plum was originally designed by David Levitt in 1964 for former Arup partner and engineer Roger Rigby. The property also in...
The 807-square-foot home is located on a small island off the coast of Helgeroa village in Southern Norway. Hidden from view, the house replaces an existing structure on a site exposed to strong winds. The architects designed two volumes connected by a decked walkway that widens to form a terrace. Pine cladding, glass and steel dominate the building, which rests on th...
The Nerima House is located on a 100 square meter lot on the outskirts of Tokyo. In order to optimize the use of space, the architects introduced a semi-submerged floor with the main entrance. The rest of the residence spans two levels and, instead of featuring several smaller spaces, it has an open plan that creates a more airy feel. The owners insisted on preserving as...
Architecture firm grupoarquitectura designed the house using a mix of concrete and metal structures with wooden beams, which allowed for the creation of wide open spaces. The house consists of two concrete volumes-one housing services and the other housing the main living areas. Steel bridges connect the two bodies and feature glass floors that augment the feeling of ...
Inspired by light and sound waves, the architect's Amsterdam-based studio GG-loop came up with a design that makes the building stand out from its surroundings and provides optimal insulation.The house, named Gentle Genius, is located on a corner lot in Altamura in southern Italy, and currently accommodates the Italian office of art collective Elephants and Volcanoes, as...
Lyon-based Playtime Agence d'Architecture designed the 45-square-meter (484 square foot) XS Extension to accommodate a comfortable kitchen and living area without competing with the style of the existing building. The architects designed a small metallic white volume raised off the ground and inserted between two existing trees. They produced a simple, balanced volume...
What were the circumstances of receiving the commission for this project? The clients are a Manhattan-based fashion executive and musician/music teacher who split their time between NYC and the Berkshires, Western Massachusetts. They found Taylor and Miller originally by seeing one of our previous projects in the Berkshires, the Pull House, in a feature in Dwell Magaz...
The firm specializes in residential design, and so takes particular care in addressing issues such as what a home should be and how it should relate to its surroundings. This project features a large shed roof covering an open interior space organized via gradations in natural light. A fireplace in the central living and kitchen area sends warm air up along the slanted c...
Located in Quartier de l’Orangerie, the 340-square-meter MaHouse is designed to max out the available zoning envelope and, as a result, its volumes take on a variety of irregular shapes and sizes. The side of the narrow home that faces a small alleyway is clad in floor-to-height Reglit glazing that’s frosted to preserve privacy, while allowing natural light into the home...
Topped with solar panels, the gorgeous micro-home is 100 percent self-sustaining and is set on a trailer with wheels so that it can be moved from place to place. Bryce Langston of the web series Living Big in a Tiny House took a tour of the beautiful interior—keep reading for an inside look. Built for a client who will live in the house full-time, the tiny mobile home...
Every point in the interior is visually connected to the natural landscape-a large panoramic window in the living room frames views of the valley, while openings on the rear side provide glimpses of the grassy hillside that meets a sunken courtyard. Architect Camillo Botticini played with the concepts of harmony and tension between the building and the site, both through...
Located in Taiwan, the coastal A'tolan House designed by Create + Think Design Studio is a stellar example of the country's traditional building practice of incorporating rocks excavated from the site to build layering walls to create multiple levels, similar to rice patty terraces. Highlighting its enviable location adjacent to the Pacific Ocean, the home's design and p...
The eco-friendly features of the OLA Studio-designed vacation home make the residence less of a guilty pleasure and more of a green retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city. Timber-clad walls in varying rustic colors draw the eye to the “Willow House” and the bright, open design makes the home inviting and warm. Cross-ventilation and daylighting are managed with...
What were the circumstances of receiving the commission for this project? I met Nathan Frankel, the client, at a dinner party at his former house. At one point in the party he asked the group a riddle. I thought of the correct answer. Please provide an overview of the project. The main house is the second phase of a two-house development on a 3.5 acre hillside...
The architects at Go Logic answered a few questions about the project. Please provide an overview of the project. The project is a seasonal residence comprised of three separate structures linked by elevated wooden decks. The main volume contains a kitchen, dining, and living space. The two smaller volumes each contain a bedroom and a bathroom. What are the main...
What were the circumstances of receiving the commission for this project? When the owners purchased the property near downtown Austin, they knew they needed to tear down the 800-sqaure-foot dilapidated home and construct a new house with enough space to raise a family. However, they weren’t sure of what to do with the existing live oak tree that dominated the center ...
Kitchen designer Alex Saint of Kitchen Architecture managed to not only update the historic home located in Cheshire, England with a breathtaking glass kitchen addition, he did so while maintaining the original character of the home. Taking the home’s original character in mind, Saint decided that the best way to minimize structural changes or damages would be to add ...
In its previous state, the house – which did have a cosy feel – was entirely lacking in terms of spaciousness, light and vision. To remedy this, the new design planned for a huge window opening in the rear elevation that would create a view on the beautiful garden and at the same time draw in plenty of natural light. The new joinery clearly distinguishes itself from t...
It has an almost surreal surrounding of peace, meadow, nature and a gorgeous view. This altogether being a piece of typical authentic Dutch landscape, of which only a few are left. At the end of one of the prettiest avenues with trees, you will find the location for a new, modernized living farm for a family to live. The required program of the client is translated to a ...
The client, a New York fashion designer, desired a space integrated in a Caribbean paradise with many textures, color emphasis and adaptation to the tropical framework. The design process is personalized to the client; if the client turned into architectural elements, Casa T would be his spatial presence. The aim was a composition of volumes and shapes, rhythms and textu...
The owners intend to convert the place in a cultural foundation in the future, thus the antique pieces, collected over the last decades, have determined the architectural design approach for the house: the use of the social spaces reveal the African masks in a delicate exhibition experience, in which art blends with everyday objects and domestic life merges with the hist...
This area has much rain throughout the year. In winter it blows a chill northwest wind and it snows a lot. The site is on a hill. So the scenery is wonderful but it gets the strong afternoon sunlight. We planned the house there where client family (married couple, their two children and wife’s mother who newly live together) lives. We planned the house as divided/parte...
The existing house was completely stripped from the inside but the existing wooden structure to support the roof was conserved. The ground floor and the first floor were demolished and replaced with a new concrete floor. The existing house is insulated on the inside in order to preserve the rather peculiar historical front façade. (19th century) In the design of the h...
The structural refurbishment affects the whole pavement and the load-bearing beams of the ceiling, which have been replaced and implemented for a correct load distribution. The bearing wall that divided the living area from the bedrooms has remained the only pre-existing item of the old dwelling and actually it still divides the two macro areas of the house. Nevertheless...
In addition, it required designing a fireplace and a staircase connecting the three levels. Most of the furniture (dining table, bureau, coffee table, sideboard, kitchen cabinets, bathroom cabinets) were designed and built by Loft Szczecin. Furniture were made of oak and were later oiled. Kitchen furniture were created from laminated plywood and the countertop is made of...
Its rounded core wall - off of which the rest of the 540 square foot structure is cantilevered - at its apex traces the curving path of the sun on the longest day of the year. 'In and around the house you have a constant awareness that the sun is doing something to you,' said Wassmann, who likes to talk about the 'cosmic influence' on his work. The spiraling wall, wh...
The clients wanted to have a space that was modern, with a combination of premium quality and design. Custom elements have been built throughout the home, like the cabinetry lining the wall. The bright and spacious interior has been kept white, with blue accents used throughout the home, while the floor is polished concrete. The open plan design is perfect for ente...
The owner took enormous strides in both design, and actual construction of the house, from building the stairs to charring the shou-sugi-ban siding. The home has a large overhang designed to let the winter warmth in, and blocking the sun in the summer. Upon entering the home, you’re greeted by the home’s stairs. The living area has picture perfect views of the sur...
The farmhouse has been given a moody makeover, with black used throughout the exterior and interior. A landscaped yard surrounding a rectangular swimming pool, makes for a private oasis. Inside the home, the use of dramatic colors allow the scenery to appear as a picturesque backdrop. A central fireplace and white sofa, are in bold contrast to the rest of the room...
The clients’ initial request was for a scheme which would see new rear living spaces opening to the outside, and to have the new spaces fuse seamlessly with the older part of the home. Entering the home, you’re greeted by a timber floor directing you to the new rear extension. A large skylight allows light to beam down upon this transitional space. Stepping down fr...
The original house is an example of 1930s Streamline Moderne architecture, which was given a full restoration, with a second storey added. This is what the house looked like before the renovations. And here is what it looked like after, with a second storey added, that is wrapped in floor-to-ceiling glass. This is the rear of the home, after the renovation. The backyard ...
Located on the Banks Peninsula in the majestic volcanic landscape of New Zealand’s South Island, this modern cottage retreat is set within a rock escarpment in a remote private bay, and is accessible by helicopter or by 4-wheel-drive vehicle across the cliff-top farm tracks. Initially designed in 2011 as a honeymoon destination, Seascape Retreat is a luxury getaway, not ...
A large deck with room for entertaining, takes you from the lake house to the backyard. At the side of the lake house, there is a path with garden beds that run alongside the deck. The main living area has large expanses of glass facing the lake to take advantage of passive heating in the winter. A small cut-out provides a space for a tree to grow. Inside is a ...
The site was originally home to two small sheds, which have since been replaced by the cabin. Nestled between large rocks and dense vegetation, the new building has a roof that fits around the shapes of the rocks. Small pathways provide access to the cabin. At the rear of the cabin is an outdoor space with table and chairs, and a fireplace. Inside the cabin, glass...
The guest house has been designed as a place to getaway for weekend visitors, allowing them to enjoy the surroundings with unobstructed views. Local bluestone slabs and shale excavated from the site have been used to create outdoor seating areas and pathways. The interiors have been kept minimal, with the focus being the farmland outside. The white kitchen keeps t...
On the west side of the home, canvas louvers have been used to admit the summer breezes, while blocking the winterwinds from the northwest. They also provide privacy from the street. The large doors on the east side of the home open onto decks overlooking the dunes. A large pivoting glass door welcomes you to the home. Inside, the floor plan has been keep open and air...
