Null Stern Hotel by Atelier für Sonderaufgaben. Swiss Alps
A house with a rooftop infinity pool by Kois Associated Architects - Tinos Island, Greece
Designed for the rocky terrain that makes up the island’s south-west coastline, the Mirage house is conceived by Kois Associated Architects as “an invisible oasis” where residents can enjoy panoramic views over the Aegean Sea without giving up their privacy.
The team decided to bury part of the building in the landscape and then create a large open-air living room in front. These will all be sheltered beneath the rooftop pool, which will act as a huge mirror to help the building camouflage with its surroundings.
Dry stone walls will surround sections of the interior and also frame the building’s entrance. These are designed to reference the traditional walls that can be spotted all over the scenic island landscape.
Patsiaouras explained: “The elements that stirred our imagination most were the linear drywall constructions that articulate the landscape and the scattered shallow concrete water-reservoirs used for agricultural purposes.”
via koisarchitecture.com
Movable Camping Cabins by Olson Kundig. Seattle, US
The Rolling Huts located in Mazama, Washington in Methow Valley were constructed to serve as modern form of camping. Designed by Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects in Seattle, these environmentally-friendly huts sit lightly on the meadow, with wheels lifting the structures above the site.
Each hut is simple with 200 sq. ft. of interior space, and is equipped with a small fridge, microwave and fireplace. The 240 sq. ft. covered deck which surrounds the hut provides additional outdoor living space.
The materials used for the exteriors such as steel, plywood and car decking are durable and low maintenance.
via olsonkundig.com
Hillside Coastal Home In Spain by Anna Podio Arquitectura
This secluded modern house in Cala Canyet, which is situated between a coastal road linking Sant Feliu de Guíxols and Tossa de Mar near the small town of Santa Cristina d’Aro, Spain was designed by Anna Podio Arquitectura.
The home enjoys 180 degree views of the Mediterranean Sea. Its open plan, large windows and the infinite pool on the main level bring the sea fully into the home.
The façade cladding is made of natural limestone and a large format of porcelain tiles. Energy efficiency was achieved with cross ventilation between different levels, home automation systems and solar energy.
via annapodio.com
Villa Boreale by Cargo Architects. Quebec, Canada
The Villa Boréale is a charming contemporary residence located in Charlevoix, an eastern region of the Quebec Province well known for its wooded valleys, skiable mountains and breathtaking points of view. At the heart of the boreal forest, the Villa is set on a sloped and private site, matching up nicely with the ubiquitous vegetation of the surroundings.
The clients, a dynamic young couple in their early thirties, approached the CARGO Architecture team in order to find an architect who could assist them throughout the construction process. The collaboration then begun by finding the ideal site within the Municipality of Petite-Rivière-St-François and near the ski center Le Massif. Being involved as early in the process, the architect was able to adequately inform his clients about the different aspects to be considered and future impacts of the site choice in the development of the project. The team chose to work on a wooded area at mounting foot, well oriented, with a great potential for intimacy.
via cargoarchitecture.ca
offSET Shed House by I Smith Architects. New Zealand
A small family house located in the coastal community north of Gisborne.
From a context of accrued bach-esk dwellings in a south facing coastal surf community, a strategy of sequencing building sets (aka surf) was generated to scale new form to its surrounds. Building sets are then offset to allow seasonal living and circulation options for variations in wind and sun exposure.
Summer opens and invites in community; with diagonal movement connecting offset and shaded external spaces. Here living holds minimal interior use, with summer circulation defining informal house boundaries, and the control of sand.
Life then internalises for winter shut down, with high level openings capturing precious northern light and warmth, and offset forms providing shelter to the southern exposure.
via isarchitects.nz
Hawkesbury Manager's House by HMA. Central Otago, New Zealand
Herriot + Melhuish Architecture worked in partnership with USA firm Marmol Radziner and Associates to develop a Californian Modernist style house redefined to sit in a Central Otago context.
The challenge was to adapt the traditional layered horizontal planes of the ‘modernist Californian pavilion’ to local planning rules and extreme weather conditions; and of course, take advantage of the spectacular views to the north of the site. Our client requested clever detailing to deliver cost effective solutions to these parameters.
Scottish Ruin Tranformed into Modern House by WT Architecture. Isle of Coll, UK
This mid-1700s house on the wind-whipped Scottish Isle of Coll has been revitalized by a contemporary renovation after being abandoned for 150 years. WT Architecture was tasked with the unusual challenge of integrating a crumbling ruin with a modern, environmentally sensitive home. The White House’s fractured facade forms the perfect bookend for the new building, contributing great character and history while protecting the new home from the brutal Atlantic winds. Step inside and you’ll find yourself firmly in the 21st century – the home features sweeping banks of glass that face the breaking ocean, open living spaces, and locally sourced low-impact materials.
The massive stone walls of the original home were doomed to failure as they were set on top of a sandy foundation and further eroded by treasure hunters searching for buried gold. A century later the home was abandoned to the whims of the coast until a couple decided that it would be the perfect backbone for a new house. The first job was to firm up the home’s stone walls and foundation. The new home huddles within the confines of the immense walls and branches out with a glass-lined living room at the home’s core. The other wing is buffeted by a large dry stacked stone wall. Lighter materials such as wooden beams and steel provide basic building elements while reducing the energy needed to ship materials to the site.
via wtarchitecture.com
