Panache building created by Maison Edouard François as a stunning example of uniquely conceptual vertical living

By Courtney • Feb 7, 2019

In the incredibly unique city of Grenoble, France, design teams at the innovative company Maison Edouard François recently created the unique and stylishly industrial looking high rise apartment building called Panache. Within their exploration of vertical rising, these designers created a sense of spatial evenness and fairness that’s almost unparalleled in the buildings surrounding Panache.

All together, Panache contains eleven apartments and six differently levelled terraces. These sit staggered at the top of the building, affording those who sit on them all different views of the city depending on which way they’re angled and which side of the building they’re oriented towards.

In the building process of this project, one of the main challenges was figuring out how to effectively power and heat a building so thin and tall, which isn’t typical for the area. They also wanted to be careful with the layout of each apartment because, even though the primary concept was vertical living, teams wanted to avoid sacrificing living space as much as possible.

Part of this was done by creating a sense of cohesive blending between indoor and outdoor space thanks to personal balconies, which give a sunny outdoor space on top of the common terraces. Opening the balconies provides effective air circulation and cooling properties throughout the units but, at the same time, will maintain a high level of nice, natural light when the doors have to be closed off for warmth in the winter.

Inside the apartments, designers opted to created spaces that, despite not feeling closed off or closed in, still have some distinction within themselves when it comes to division of public and private space. This is why all of the social, hosting, and bonding rooms sit closer to the balcony, where the energy and focus of the house really draws people, while the private spaces sit slightly further away and more removed, where some peace and quiet can be sought.

Because the apartments are on the smaller side (despite being fully equipped and not quite little enough to qualify them as micro-living spaces), the terraces really were marketed by designers as additional living spaces akin to being second homes. That’s one of the many reasons that the view from up at the top of the building is so pivotal. Few things in the area are as beautiful as the looming image of the Belledonne mountain chain in the distance.

Photos by Sergio Grazia and Luc Boegly

Walker Warner uses salvaged oak for Portola Valley Barn in California

By Courtney • Feb 7, 2019

In the spirit of upcycling to preserve historical buildings and traditional styles, California based design company Walker Warner transformed an old barn and expanded on its space using entirely local upcycled oak salvaged from buildings and structured in the immediate area.

Located in Northern California, this large, authentically rustic house consists of various gabled sections supported on the inside to resist the weather but carefully wrapped in reclaimed wood from all over the local area. Known as the Portola Valley Barn, the house is built on a four acre property with more than enough space for its main house (which is the part that was transformed from an original old house), the newly built guest quarters, and a back space with an office and space for entertainment and relaxation with family and friends.

The house is nestled in the centre of a grove of trees, in a natural clearing that didn’t require building teams to clear anything at all. Within this clearing fits each volume of the house and a sunny terrace built off the edge of a beautifully green stretch of lawn. Both the main seat (which is subtly luxurious and even features its own home theatre) and the guest house turn onto this lawn for some easily shared time outdoors between owners and visitors.

Although the design teams wanted to give the new owners a contemporary family space filled with modern amenities, they still wanted to pay homage to the rustic aesthetic and down home atmospheres of the area. That’s why they kept the look and materials of the structures authentic, using stylishly weathered features and giving the buildings a tin roof. The reclaimed oak we’ve referred to is featured all across the outsides, having been harvested in part from old Kentucky barns. Teams alternated this with ebonised mahogany and standing-seam metal that was painted to resemble zinc.

Inside the house, you’ll find a great contrast. Designers chose to built a crisp, clean feeling, modern aesthetic in the rooms to create a transitional experience as you move inwards from the rustic yards. White walls and polished surfaces gleam neatly while large, clean glass windows and walls showcase the scenic terrain and provide a view. This also keeps the house bright through long periods of the day.

Besides the great room, which features a large TV and entertainment system because it was specifically built with the intention of throwing charity events and hosting large family gatherings, the house also features a pool table and a garage that houses a vintage roadster. Entertainment is a surprisingly large priority for a house that, at first glance, looks like a barn! Outside, a stunning concentration on plants and greenery takes centre stage, including local species from the area as well as California lilacs, coffee berry, and strawberry trees.

Photos by Matthew Millman

Stunning La Dacha Mountain Refuge built from blackened wood for rustic mountain atmosphere in Chilean Andes

By Courtney • Feb 6, 2019

In the mountainous area of Las Tancas, in Nevados de Chillan, a Chilean home design and architectural studio called Del Rio Arquitectos Asociados has built a wonderfully tall V-shaped cabin retreat home called La Dacha Mountain Refuge.

In order to get just the right mountainside feel to the home’s aesthetic and atmosphere, designers opted to wrap the subtly luxurious cabin’s exterior walls in charred wood. Far from making the place look too dark or closed off, however, the team ensured that this look was broken up enough to stay light using large glazed windows that give dwellers breathtaking views of the rugged terrain and stunning natural surroundings right outside.

Las Trancas, the lovely little ski town that the Refuge sits on the edge of, is nestled in the heart of a mountainous area that boasts a number of active stratovolcanoes. The multi-story cabin sits below these, jutting gently from a slope and blending quite well into the natural scenery of the area. Looking at the seemingly simple cottage, you might not guess that it was built with several internal water and energy systems that make it run more eco-friendly than the average home.

The development of these systems, which include high-thermal efficiency, stemmed from the fact that this cabin was a site-specific design. This means that teams developed the whole concept, layout, and so on with that very plot in mind, as opposed to some scenarios where the plot is found afterwards and simply used as a site for a previously conceptualized design.

The loosely V-shaped cabin spans an area of 140 square metres within a half-hectare plot of land that is generously studded with trees. Designers specifically oriented the cabin to take advantage of the sun for as long as possible on its path over the mountains. This helps keep the outdoor areas and sports by the window quite warm, but the main energy efficient warmth in the refuge comes from a thermal core and a high insulated perimeter.

Masking this outer insulation are the purposely blackened wooden planks we mentioned earlier. These planks are long cuts of pine that have been charred using a traditional Japanese method called shou sugi ban. Burning the wood in this way is more than just aesthetic; it also helps to increase its resistance to natural weathering, insects, and decay typical of wooden buildings.

The cabin’s exterior walls are clad in pine planks that are charred using the Japanese technique of shou sugi ban. Burning the wood helps increase its resistance to insects and decay. This makes the cabin quite low maintenance to stay in and care for, all while also helping it blend beautifully into its location and natural terrain.

Contrary to the style of many houses, the private zones of this house (like bedrooms and bathroom suites) are situated on the bottom floor of the house, while the public and common space areas where dwellers might entertain guests are located up top. The main entrance to the cabin is located in a sort of middle floor space, which is accessed from outside by a charming wooden bridge.

On the same level as the main entrance, before you’d move on to the bedrooms or the kitchen, living, and dining room, is a small transitional space. Here, you’ll find a wood-burning masonry stove (also known as a kachelofen). This stove helps safely store heat in the thick, insulated walls, generating a whole day’s worth of warmth from a single load of wood.

The use of this stove is quite innovative, despite looking simply traditional and cute. It’s actually an ancient housewarming technique from Europe that is making its way more commonly into certain places in Southern Chile as an eco-friendly response to crucial issues like pollution and high wood consumption.

The outside of the cabin isn’t the only aspect of it that has a welcoming, rustic feel! Inside, you’ll find wonderfully earthy tones as well as stunningly natural materials that once again reflect the beautiful terrain outside the cabin’s walls. These include stone and wood in kinds that are native to the local region.

Photos by Nico Saieh and Felipe Camus

Low-impact Quinta da Baroneza House created by Belluzzo Martinhao Arquitetos

By Courtney • Feb 6, 2019

Bragança Paulista in Brazil is officially the home of a new kind of housing put forward by innovative design and architectural businesses like Belluzzo Martinhao Arquitetos. Their latest project, called Quinta da Baroneza House, is the starting point for an ongoing goal to take advantage of what stunning natural landscapes have to offer while disturbing the terrain, plant life, and surrounding eco-system as little as possible.

In this case, the natural topography of the chosen plot slopes slightly down the street. Designers solved this by building a monolithic volume that extends as the ground slopes, rather than trying to tear up and change the ground to match their design’s needs. This gave them the opportunity to actually use the slope to their advantage in order to create not only a lower level garage, but even a bit of extra space for a home sauna and spa!

In building the house itself, this team kept several central tenets as their primary goals. They opted to communicate a contemporary style by working with clean, straight lines wherever possible. They also aimed to integrate the various environments the home would contain in order to establish cohesiveness, as well as to pay homage to the natural topography around the finished house by carefully choosing pure, local materials.

In a lovely transitional move, designers chose to line the path to the house’s main entrance with stone cobbles featuring lush green grass between them. This path leads you to a social entrance near the lower garage. From there, guests are greeted with a pleasant pergola and walk through nice wooden doors into the living room, which is furnished intentionally with cozy couches and plenty of seating space intended to encourage bonding with family and friends.

The living room isn’t the only social space in the house! Designers also provided owners with a gorgeously sunny balcony that is integrated fully into the indoor spaces thanks to recessed doors, as opposed to look like it was slapped onto the side of the house like an afterthought. The intention of featuring the living room, balcony, and pool on the same level was to increase the dynamic way in which family and guests might spend time together.

To get to more intimate areas of the house, you’ll travel down a long corridor made entirely of glass that is supported and protected by aluminum slats. Regardless of the weather outside, the journey down this panoramic hallway is stunning. At the end, you’ll find four identical bedroom suites which all face the pool. Past those, a master suite with its own exclusive balcony faces a view of the skyline below the street’s slope that is nothing short of breathtaking.

Although designers put a lot of emphasis on entertaining friends, family, and guests with their wide open social spaces, they also understood that sometimes different members in a family want to spend time or entertain themselves in different ways. That’s why you’ll find an additional private living room and even a home theatre featured in the private wing of the house, past the bedroom suites.

Drifting back out to the home’s more private sector will take you to the kitchen if you move past the impressive living room we discussed earlier. The kitchen is actually quite large, but it’s closed off for the privacy of a resident kitchen staff hired on when owners entertain guests, giving the employees their own more stress free place to work without interruption. The kitchen is spacious, fully and professionally equipped, and even has a nice view of a lovely enclosed garden, giving it great light and ventilation. Guests and family members can access the garden directly from the living room rather than traveling through the kitchen space while people are working away.

Photos by Mariana Orsi

Multi-generational family Kew East House created by Jost Architects to meet everyone’s needs

By Courtney • Feb 4, 2019

Much to the joy of all of its new owners, no matter their age, Jost Architects recently wrapped the last few finishing touches on an amazing new family home project called Kew Ease House! This space was created for a family that opts to live together multi-generationally in Kew East, Australia and designers wanted to make each and every member of the group feel comfortable and accounted for, from the grandparents right down to the kids, including the family dog.

The first challenge designers faced (besides accounting for the needs and likes of such a diverse age range of people) was the angle of the chosen plot. The site where the house sits slopes steeply down towards the street, meaning the house had to actually be recessed into the slope to sit safely and evenly. Once they’d safely anchored the house using architectural foundational techniques akin to braiding, the turned their attention to materials.

Rather than concentrating on sleekness or modernity, designers chose materials with shades that gave the space a sense of robustness and tonal hues, suiting the plant life around the house. The structure sits not far from the Kew Billabong and the Yarra River, so the flora and fauna on the plot are lush and plentiful. Inside, in the interest of keeping things quite natural and textural, some surfaces have been finished with fabric rather than shiny, synthetic materials.

Besides the bodies of water we mentioned above, the house also sits right across the road from a sprawling park and the Yarra Trail. Its proximity to these things actually made it less important that the home boast its own private outdoor spaces because its afforded such incredible access to these quiet, natural features. These also provide the house with stunning views from just about any room.

In order to take full advantage of the fact that this home is nestled into such lush nature, several cross-ventilation features were adding, as well as massive windows that draw in bright sunlight (but with smart glazing to keep them from heating up). On the ground floor of the house, visitors encounter a garage and internal flat for visitors, as well as several private areas that are separated from public social ones by a main corridor. Those include the master suite and a formal family living room.

On the higher level of the house, two children’s bedrooms are featured with a private bathroom. Down the hall, you’ll find access to a stunning rooftop balcony with simple, stylish seating and a breathtaking view of the park and even the city beyond. The idea of having the kids’ bedrooms at the top is to give them some privacy and space, giving older generations more accessibility downstairs.

The overall sense of the house bears an atmosphere of relaxation, neutral calm, and space that is easily shared. It’s a place that is simple enough and yet diverse and adaptable, letting it easily appeal to people of any age or need level so that everyone can co-exist with joy.

Photos by Shani Hodson-Zoso

Lakeside retreat TRIPTYCH created by Canadian company YH2 Architecture

By Courtney • Jan 28, 2019

In the lovely, lake rich area of Wentworth-Nord, in the French countryside of Canada, the stunning TRIPTYCH residence was built by YH2 Architecture to maximize the owner’s experience of the Laurentian Mountains.

These Montreal based designers chose a three-pavilion structure in order to simplify the process of quite literally nestling the residence into its lush, wonderfully natural lakeside surroundings. Built on a small slope that overlooks a darling lake, the house features crisp lines and neutral, conservative colour palettes in order to prevent it from interrupting its own plot’s peaceful landscape.

As we’re sure you can guess, the designers actually held the building’s namesake in mind as they designed their new structure. Like any classic triptych, this residence features a primary central structure. In this case, the central pavilion is afforded starlingly direct views of Lac St-Cyr. On either side, two additional pavilions were created in smaller sizes in order to make them feel more intimate and in contact or connection with the nearby trees. In this way, the buildings simultaneously communicate a sense of fragmentation and a feeling of cohesiveness.

With each of the three pavilions, designers were very smart with shapes. They aimed to create as natural looking a tableau as possible within the trees by adjusting each building’s geometry to mirror, complement, or contrast the scenery around it. This is why the roofs slope upward in three directions from the very centre of the house, accentuating and framing the views around them rather than blocking or detracting from them.

In the central block of the house, you’ll first encounter a kitchen and adjoining office. Each of these features an opening wall facing the gorgeous lake. Beyond those, the living room can be accessed through a glass corridor that’s most often flooded with natural sunlight. The master bedroom sits directly below the living room on the natural slope, resting firmly where the terrain naturally evens out. This bedroom is accessed through a unique, decorative staircase that looks as though it’s floating thanks to the way the last step has been suspended.

To the west of the main building, the second pavilion is set higher on the slope and sits at more of an angle. This building serves as a sort of separate quarters for friends and guests when they visit, affording them some privacy and space of their own. It still sits in close proximity to the main building’s entryway, however, which saves it from feeling cut off. Even so, a delineation of space is created in this building thanks to the sift in flooring material from smooth, stained hardwood to polished concrete.

Below that on the slope, further down still, is a secondary entrance to the linked buildings, as well as an interior garage, which takes up the bulk of the space in the third pavilion. To save guests and dwellers from journeying outside to travel between buildings, the three pavilions are linked together by glassed-in passageways. The front door to the main structure is subtly located in one of these passageways, making any point in the house quite convenient to get to. These halls and their glass walls serve to blur the boundaries between interior and exterior spaces in a beautiful way.

Perhaps the most unique part of this home is that the living and dining rooms, which sit quite separately from the main pavilions, are most often completely open to the outside! Here, all light in the space is natural and electric lights haven’t even been featured. Instead, sunlight pours in through a suspended aluminum ceiling that has been cut in a pattern to create the sensation that you’re sitting under a leafy forest canopy.

In an impressive feat of builder’s skill, the TRIPTYCH house was constructed almost entirely of natural materials. The house’s facade, for example, is entirely sheathed with cedar planks from Eastern Canada that have been treated to appear naturally weathered over time (which they would eventually do anyways). Inside, various features are made of gypsum board, white cedar, white oak, or polished concrete.

TRIPTYCH features mostly natural materials. The façades are sheathed with Eastern cedar planks, treated to appear weathered by time. Interior walls and ceilings are either gypsum board or white cedar while the floors are white oak or polished concrete. Wide patio doors, with black aluminum casings, frame the ever-changing views. A patio area extends from the kitchen and dining spaces towards the lake. The building’s geometry creates a theatrical stage for the surrounding nature.

Photos by Maxime Brouillet

Uniquely shaped and literally named Parallel House, created by En Route Architects, provides perfectly framed seaside views

By Courtney • Jan 21, 2019

Unlike some seemingly randomly named homes, the relationship between Parallel House’s name and its structure is wonderfully clear! Built by En Route Architects, this unique home located on a Greek island provides perfectly framed views of the sea that are nothing short of breathtaking.

More specifically, the house is located in the Cyclades Islands, a cluster of small, stunning islands just off the coast of mainland Greece. It sits beautifully above the water, perched just so on a quiet hillside.

The intent of Parallel House’s shape and orientation was to pay direct homage to the seaside that surrounds it. Its beauty, however, is not the only thing this home has to offer. This contemporary, concrete residence is also actually completely self-sustaining. A collection of solar panels, a complete rainwater collection system, and some energy-efficient insulation allow the house to run independently and completely off-grid.

Even though it looks extremely modern, the building techniques employed by the architectural teams were actually very traditional. Because the house sits on a very sloped surface, the unique topography of the area needed to be accounted for in order to keep the building stable and safe as well as lovely to look at.

Designers achieved this by partially embedding the backside of the house into the actual landscape it sits upon. This afforded it some resilience, holding it in place like an anchor. It also gives the house a bit of extra natural insulation, protecting it from strong winds and rain during storms typical of islands and seasides.

Because the back of the house is so well anchored and insulated, designers were able to keep the front side, or that facing the beautiful sea view, much more open. Here, the house’s main volume is broken up into various sections shaped like large squares. These sections help to frame the view of the water differently from each room in the house.

As you can see, the house is made almost entirely of exposed concrete. Besides being a welcoming but slightly industrial looking aesthetic choice, this material usage serves a practical purpose too when it comes to reducing energy and water consumption.

Because the walls and floors are both concrete, a tight thermal insulation is created, which reduces the need for electricity in heating during colder months and helps the space maintain a more controlled temperature all year long, no matter the weather outside.

Keeping warm isn’t the only concern, particularly when Greece has such intensely hot summers and mild seasons between that and winter time. To help regulate the air even on the warmest days, a recessed corridor exists in the back of the home. This creates some cross ventilation that helps keep the spaces cool when the concrete does heat up more than usual.

You might think you don’t see the rainwater collection system we mentioned before in these photos, but we promise you it’s there! This system is actually installed on top of the house in the roof, where it can drain grey water (or fallen water that has yet to be purified) down into tanks submerged under ground. There, the water is filtered to be re-used.

Nearly the same subtle installation process is true of the solar panels we mentioned as well. In order to prevent large panels cramping the style and aesthetic of the home, designers chose to situate them adjacent to the house itself. The panels are actually hidden in the landscape and rigged accordingly, generating sufficient independent energy to power the entire house.

Structurally, you’ll also notice the way the floor-to-ceiling glass walls face the see in order to frame that stellar view. To make things even better, however, those walls actually open back all the way, transforming most rooms in the house into lovely open concept spaces at whim. This lets fresh seaside air play through the home on warm days and makes the spaces inside the home feel even bigger and brighter than they already are!

Photographs by Yiorgis Yerolymbos

Gorgeous Villa in the Palms designed and built by Abraham John Architects wraps gently around towering 80-year-old coconut trees

By Courtney • Jan 20, 2019

In the heart of Bombay, India, the recently finished Villain The Palms has been expertly crafted by Abraham John Architects to sit carefully around a spray of 19 tall and impressive coconut trees that have been rooted on that plot of land for the last 80 years.

This sprawling private residence is nothing short of expansive, covering approximately 6,500 square feet between all of its volumes. Because the house is broken up into several different smaller buildings, however, it takes on the feeling of a small village. Designers and architects chose this unique layout at the very conception of the project in order to ensure the safety and preservation of every single tree on the plot.

In fact, they did such a good job of this that not a single tree was felled during the building process. Particular care was taken around the original 19 coconut trees that had called the land there home for so many years. In order to complement and display the trees, designers chose to model the home after a traditional Goan village.

In order to keep things really on track with that style choice, builders made sure to use historically accurate Goan built techniques and materials. The exterior walls, for example, are clad in laterite stone, which is extremely durable and also gives the home an earthy quality that helps it blend into its natural surroundings. The stone also creates a sort of thermal envelope throughout the buildings that regulates temperature in colder months.

The roofs and the angle at which they sit are also functional as well as decorative when it comes to climate! These roof surfaces are pitched at varying sloped angles so that rainwater runs down to be harvested for reuse. These angles also help the roof of each building withstand the strong winds that blow through the area during monsoon season a little better.

Between the different small buildings of the home runs a series of outdoor decks, passageways, and bridges. These paths wind through the trees, which have wonderfully reflective pools and gardens winding between their trunks. From the primary living are, located in the largest building, these pools, trees, and paths provide a gorgeous view through large windows that flood the rooms with natural light with the help of a beautiful skylight.

Beneath that skylight, an absolutely lovely interior garden blooms in the sunlight it provides. This garden serves to blend inner and outer spaces throughout the whole area of the house. To further that sense of natural settings, designers also used 100 year old reclaimed teak wood to build the outer frame area that features large screens.

Within the rest of the main module, the living room, kitchen, and dining room look out over the pools that wrap around the trees. The pool that provides this lovely view is actually made up of three distinct bodies of water that run between, around, and into each other. These pools are covered with teakwood bridges that lead back and forth between the surrounding land and little islands that were built amidst the pools to protect the ancient trees at their bases.

Photographs by Alan Abraham

Alcázar de Toledo, a building by Sordo Madaleno Arquitectos, establishes an impressive view all its own with its grassy, angled balconies

By Courtney • Jan 17, 2019

Located in the heart of Mexico City, Mexicao, a stunning building called Alcázar de Toledo has been created by Sordo Madaleno Arquitectos with one of the most unique facades in the business.

Because it is considered a luxury building, Alcazar de Toledo is afforded one of the very best locations in the city, featuring prime surroundings and amenities. Even so, its site’s topography is quite rugged and uneven, which is why designers chose to integrate the environment as much as possible into the building’s structure and decor. This creates a relationship between the land and the housing that dwellers can enjoy each day.

Besides just accounting for the topography, designers wished to respect the environment as much as possible in their building process and even once the structure was finished. At the same time, they aimed to choose angles and details that took the absolute best advantage of the panoramic view of the city that the location offers, with all that stunning vegetation between buildings.

Rather than just anchoring into or sitting on top of the land’s topography, architects decided to build something that looks as though it folds itself over the landscape, hence its absolutely intriguing right angled and zig-zagging shaped feature all the way down the front of the building, from top to bottom.

Each fold in the building’s facade responds to what designers saw as a different need of the building. They also each contain space for five units on each level, providing them all with a large terrace, full amenities, and a parking lot in different places. All the way down, the zig-zag is positively covered in lush plants and vegetation that are native to the area.

For a bit of contrast, the parking level (which actually sits at the very top of the building) boasts an absolutely stunning water feature that complements the generous plant life well. This area features water fountains and beautifully reflective pools, as does the reception area that welcomes guests. This lobby sits in a glass box where the beauty inside can be seen all around.

Besides spacious units, beautiful decorative features, and impressive ramp balconies, this luxury building also boasts a full sized pool, spa, gym, a social terrace, and shared dressing and bathrooms that make all of these easy and convenient to use. Inside, the units feature lovely living and dining rooms, spacious kitchens, guest bathrooms, cozy family rooms, and three bedrooms with their own dressing and bathrooms as well. Each also has its own laundry room, maid’s quarters, and beautiful garden terrace! Some of the larger units even feature a library, a wine cellar, and a playroom or study.

Keeping with the goal of offering beautiful panoramic views, each apartment in this building features very high ceilings and large floor to ceiling windows that let the stunning surrounding scenery be seen from essentially anywhere in the unit. These huge windows also provide natural light and ventilation in a way that just serves to make the space even more cohesive with its environment.

Photographs by Jaime Navarro and HH Fotografia

Torre de Gomariz, a “wine spa hotel” conceptualized by Paulo Braga + Cristina Amaral, offers simple luxury in Portuguese vineyard

By Courtney • Jan 16, 2019

Nestled amongst the leaves and vines in Cervaes, in the Vila Verde region or Portugal, Torre de Gomariz Wine Spa Hotel, designed and built by Paulo Braga + Cristina Amaral, provides a luxury getaway that prioritizes calm and comfort.

The Quinta de Gomariz is a stunning estate in Northern Portugal that has an impressive local history reaching as far back as the late 13th century. The estate includes several buildings that are protected thanks to having been listed as local heritage buildings, the most important of which is the Tower of Gomariz. This historical gothic structure was originally a defensive tower and was built in the late 15th century.

The biggest building, the main manor of the estate, was built slightly later, at the beginning of the 18th century. This manor sits adjacent to the tower. Also from the 18th century’s era on the estate are the stunning old chapel, the main gate, and the walls that circle and enclose the entire edge of the estate itself.

At the time of this project, design teams became involved with the intention of preserving these historical buildings and all their history, which would in turn bolster the economic stability of the estate itself by letting it function more smoothly and with more reliability. The primary use of the estate is still wine production but the decision to add a tourism element in the form of a gorgeous hotel was motivated by the desire for diversification, increased monetization, and showing off the stunning history that the place has to offer naturally.

At the same time as the estate wanted to show off its assets, they also wanted to ensure that design teams prioritized its care and preservation, which was undoubtedly done with care and success. Besides just streamlining functionality, architects effectively rehabilitated the heritage buildings in order to strengthen their structures and prevent any further deterioration in order to avoid eventual and irreversible ruin.

Although the aim was to preserve these historical buildings, estate owners and designers both also sought to incorporate them into the functions of the estate’s new mode of running in useful, respectful ways as well. Most social spaces in the resort, for example, actually take place within and out of the heritage buildings. Even the old barn and threshing floor have been integrated into the running of the spa and bar areas, for example.

This concept of incorporating the buildings right into the wine production and tourism businesses lets the estate diversity their functions without expanding past the original borders of the estate, which would work against the goals of preserving its structures and natural formation.

That doesn’t mean no expansion could be done at all, however! Designers did have the space to strategically build three new buildings, which they sought to keep as authentic to the estate and its surroundings as possible. They did this in part by using local granite, wood, steel, and glass in the building process. This created a sense of unity between the old and new buildings that makes the whole area feel cohesive.

In terms of decor and aesthetic, the combination of old and new actually creates a beautiful atmosphere inside. There is a calming sense of more traditional living amidst sparkling new amenities and shining, neutrally coloured surfaces. Things feel fresh and invigorated at the same time as guests absorb the history around them.

Photographs by Joao Morgado

House Usuki by Kenta Eto provides a unique and unparalleled view of Japanese city from its dramatically sloped roof

By Courtney • Jan 11, 2019

Some houses are built solely for style or visual design, and that can be a beautiful thing! Others, however, have a slightly more functional or abstract inspiration behind their design, and that often still results in something with amazing shaped and character. That’s precisely the case with House Usuki, designed and built by Kenta Eto.

With this wonderfully unique housing project, designers aimed to harmonize environmental scale and human scale in one place. The plot of land it sits on, nestled in the rolling hills of Usuki City, in Japan’s Oita prefecture, is the perfect place for such a goal! This is thanks to the stunningly uneven, mountainous terrain surrounding the area, which is scattered with fields and houses that sit at all different levels.

To achieve their scale based goals, designers operated from a rather simple concept: to utilize the natural topography of the land and the difference in levels it presents actively in their project, seeing as the site their chose sits angled as though you’re going down the mountain.

The intention of the home’s dramatic slope, besides just standing out for being unique, was actually to avoid disturbing the impressive landscape upon which it sits. Instead, appears to slope with the natural shape of the hill it sits on, inclined at approximately 24 degrees from the top all the way down to the ground.

This fantastic angle actually allows dwellers and guests to climb to the very top of the house from ground level on the outside! Because the angle is actually quite long and gentle rather than severe, one can easily sit or lie down on this unique roof, making it the perfect place to take in the sunset or absorb the mountain view surrounding you.

The outside of the house is by no means the only impressive aspect! Inside, the house is split into two floors. On the ground floor, you’ll be greeted by an expansive kitchen, a comfortable living room, a irresistible master bedroom, and even a wet area. The top floor is reserved for an exciting hobby room and the kids’ rooms, giving the house a sense of functional organization.

Also on the ground floor is a lovely, grassy courtyard space. This sits recessed into the base of the outside slope, like a bright, friendly patio connecting the inside and outside spaces in an open, freeing kind of way. Past the doors going into the patio, the support beams are functional and exposed in a way that is simple, practical, and quite appealing. Timber eaves give the space an honest, pleasantly homey approach.

Photographs provided by architect.

ARTE S by SPARK Architects provides guests with a uniquely shaped residential escape and sunshine space

By Courtney • Jan 8, 2019

In the busy urban centre in Pinang, Malaysia, SPARK Architects recently created the visually stunning ARTE S building, a luxury residential building that resembles a spa and pool resort, giving residents a place to escape in the middle of the city.

Located in Jalan Bukit Gambier, near the better city of George Town, this project includes a pair of tall, undulating condominium towers that boast 460 residential units between them. The taller tower of the two is stands 180 metres tall and can be seen off the island from the mainland clearly in the distance.

Bukit Gambir is a lush topical mountain located right at the heart of Pengang Island, which lies off the Western coast of Malaysia. The towers are incredibly unique in the way their facade undulates at each layer. This lovely effect was intended to mimic the dramatic topography of the land surrounding the buildings, which varies between steeply rising hillsides and low coastlines.

Besides just undulating, the towers also appeared layered where the balconies sit. This mimics the mountainous landscape as well, with the graduated terrace effect mirroring the gradient of the rock faces. This effect was achieved using a construction technique called elliptical floor plating, which builders augmented with an added waveform birse-soleil that very carefully, subtly, and precisely rotated each floor a particular degree to give the buildings their twisted appearance.

Besides looking amazing in themselves, the towers are built with the intention of offering the best view of the ocean that one can find anywhere on the island. The taller of the two climbs 50 storeys high, while the shorter rises only 32. In each one, the penthouses at the top are sculpted from the final three floorplates.

On the very top of the highest tower sits a sky garden that incorporates two pebble-form recreational “resident club” pods. In the larger one, up to 60 people can be accommodated for events while the smaller hanging pod is home to luxury jacuzzi. Together the two pods create a wonderfully dramatic visual fro, the ground that acts as a signature for the building while also providing residents with an unparalleled view of George Town and the Straight of Pengang.

Inside, the units are entirely designed for flexibility and tropical living. They are open concept with no beams or poles, meaning they can be arranged in any way and at any time. The units are also specifically designed to bring in light and air naturally, eliminating the need for air conditioning and thereby saving hydro costs. In the common areas, the spaces are naturally ventilated and day-lit as well.

Around the building, several perimeter gardens have been planted at the base. These shroud the residential car park in lovely, local tropical plants that thrive in the area’s climate and would grow nearby naturally. This lovely green life contrasts beautifully with the modern appearance of the buildings and their shape, creating more texture for the eye to take in.

Of course, the pools at the base of the towers are an immediately noticeable primary feature. Their clear blue water attracts the eye and gives off a stunning reflection that mirrors the undulating visual motion of the buildings, enticing just about anyone who sets eyes on them and letting calming shapes set the atmosphere.

Photographs by LinHo

Teph Inlet House by Omar Gandhi Architect provides a stunning waterfront escape in Eastern Canada

By Courtney • Jan 3, 2019

Perched beautifully on the coast in Nova Scotia, Canada, Teph Inlet house was created by Omar Gandhi Architect as a sun filled family holiday home for enjoying warm summers in once that notorious Canadian winter melts away for the year.

One of the most notable features of this home is the entirely glazed glass ground floor. This visually open structure gives guests an unparalleled view of the Nova Scotian coast. Built specifically for a young family, the house sits right besides the ocean in the small Eastern Canadian village of Chester.

Two separate buildings sit on the property of Teph Inlet house. The first is a two storey main house with full amenities and the second is a smaller guest house. Both buildings are cuboid in their shape and each one faces onto a stunning swimming pool with a paved outdoor space surrounding it and spots where guests can enjoy both sun and shade, depending on their preference.

A little further back from the pool house, a garage lines up along its side, creating another outdoor space. This is a linear shaped sports area where guests and family can enjoy a whole plethora of fun outdoor activities, the most exciting of which is definitely the zip line! Beyond that, a rear terrace is open to the harbour filled with boats while tall trees give a neighbouring grassy plot some cool shade from the sun.

As if the house didn’t feature enough outdoor space already, the fantastic floor to ceiling glass panels we mentioned earlier, which make up the walls of the whole ground floor in the main house, actually slide back to open that storey entirely to the fresh air. A lovely stone deck sits right on their other side of those sliding doors, blending with the living and dining rooms and kitchen.

Also on the ground floor is an en suite bedroom and bathroom that’s perfect for guests because a pocket door can slide out and separate that part of the house entirely, almost like an additional private volume. There and in the main stairwell, more double-height glass walls give the house plenty of natural light no matter the time of year.

Up a set of floating white oak stairs, which sit underneath some stunning sky lights, is a master suit that features a walk-in closet and its own bathroom. Three more bedrooms and two additional bathrooms call the upper storey home as well, making Teph Inlet house a fantastic place for hosting plenty of summertime guests.

The colour palette and decor schemes are both clean, calm, and befitting of a coastal holiday home. Teph Inlet house features herringbone patterned light oak flooring, countless stark white surfaces throughout, and details made in stone and natural tile. These keep things looking clean and simplistic without being void of decorative style.

Photographs by Ema Peter

La Ferme du Lac Vert renovation takes historical farmhouse from rustic to inspirational luxury in South-Eastern France

By Courtney • Dec 28, 2018

Near Morzine, in South-Eastern France, lies a small, picturesque village called Montriond. This is where a local French design and architectural company recently renovated a beautiful old farmhouse into a luxurious home that preserves all its beautiful history despite impressive and necessary updates.

The original wooden farmhouse, most of which has been incorporated into and preserved within the new design, was built in 1842. In 2010, however, it underwent a lovely transformation that turned it into the stately and distinguished (yet somehow still homey) Savoyard Farmhouse you’d see if you visited Montriond today.

Having repurposed and continued to use most of the original wood, in combination with locally sourced timber where new or additional wood was needed, designers kept much of the home’s original rustic aesthetic. This is bolstered by the inclusion of antique or ethically sourced furs and animal hides, much like you would have seen in the original 1800s home.

At the same time as this rustic aesthetic has been preserved, the decor team aimed to update the interior slightly to provide all the comfort of a more contemporary style of living. Social spaces boast large fire places and bar stool seating, while the deck features a large hot tub that provides a stunning view of the mountainous French countryside around the house.

In some of the best spots in the house, which are primarily those with a clear eye line of the hugely picturesque windows, the views are nothing short of breathtaking. Thats why some of the most impressive handmade furniture pieces are situated so they face towards the windows. The rooms are a lovely blend of vintage pieces, upcycled furniture from local places, and original furnishings that have a history in that very space, which adds and extra layer of character.

Rustic Barn Transformed into Gorgeous Timber Frame Barn House by RMT Architects

By Courtney • Dec 21, 2018

Nestled in the countryside of Highlands, North Carolina, design professionals at RMT Architects have transformed an old, weathered, and rustic barn into the breathtakingly comfortable Timber Frame Barn House. Built in partnership with Ronnie D. Waller Construction, the vintage looking farmland home features 3,587 square feet of inviting living spaces and down home comfort.

Upon walking into the great room, you’ll encounter a stunning open concept layouts and an impressive metal spiral staircase traveling upward to the mezzanine. Rather than being airy, the great room stays warm and cozy despite its layout thanks to a beautifully placed stone fireplace that covers the full height of the room from floor to ceiling. The floor is kept warm as well in the home’s current decor scheme by a spacious area rug. This cushions the feet of guests while also adding pattern and texture to the room. The rug also marks a visual separation between the living room seating and the dining room without actually cutting off the nice open space between the two.

Besides having an open-space aesthetic that creates a sense of harmony between the rooms and makes hosting guests easy, this barn house also features pocketing glass doors in the dining room that open right out onto a comfortable patio seating area. This helps create a sense of cohesiveness between indoor and outdoor settings as well. Dwellers and guests can flow easily from room to room and from indoor areas to fresh air seamlessly.

In contrast with the warm, pleasant interior, which is undoubtedly rustic vintage influenced but feels whole and new, the exterior of the house is quite clearly the actual facade of an old barn. The original timber is still in place, but safely bolstered by frame updates and renovations.

The barn house’s exterior isn’t the only place you’ll find wood! Inside, the floors are actually a unique combination of wood and concrete, keeping things solid but natural. First the wood was installed and then the concrete was poured, using the wood as a framework, and stained to create a cohesive colour story.

In terms of decor, you’ll encounter all kinds of homey touches throughout the house that really drive the whole “rustic farm” aesthetic home in a way that’s beautiful and explicit rather than tacky and overdone. Cowhide rugs and homemade patchwork quilts in the bedrooms are the perfect example of this. These are things you might have seen in any old farm house, modern or vintage, but they make particular sense here in the way they play off the rustic wooden interior that follows from the floor, up the walls and supports, and right across the ceiling.

The part of the home that perhaps makes the “barn house” concept most explicit and whole is the authentic remaining barn door itself. On the outside of modern doors with glass insets and safe locks, an actual set of large, wooden barn doors closes just like they might have when the barn housed farm animals and farming tools and supplies originally. Once the barn doors have swung open, the glass doors can roll like sliding panels to disappear entirely on warm days, giving the entryway and even more authentically rustic feel when only the big barn doors remain.

In oder to stop the large, wooden home from feeling too dark at any point, bright ceiling lights abound all throughout. Designers place inset lamps and stylish pendant lights in each room and on the porch to make sure guests and dwellers are never in the dark, even on days that are too chilly for indoor-outdoor experiences and leaving the barn doors open for a nice breeze.

Mimicking the beautiful fireplace and seating in the great room, this barn house’s porch also features fantastic rustic inspired seating and a beautiful stone fireplace! This lets guests enjoy the surrounding woodland area any time they please without getting too cold, making the fire both functional and great for ambiance. This setup sits on a beautifully solid cedar deck that overlooks the yard bordered in natural greenery.

Photographs by Eric Morley

Stunning Swedish Home Villa Wennerström Blends Wood and Natural Granite Thanks to Max Holst Arkitektkontor

By Courtney • Dec 20, 2018

In order to create the breathtaking Villa Wennerström, designers and architects at Max Holst Arkitektkontor harnessed the beauty of the topography Stockholm, Sweden. The result was a grand home structure that perfectly blends and contrasts natural granite and woods like oak and pine; a combination which is reflected in the scene around the house as well.

The goal in building and decorating this house was to draw guests’ eyes to the similarities and differences between not only the natural materials used in building, but also between the house and the land it sits on. Clear, strong architectural shapes were also used, making the house stand out from its surroundings despite being built from those very things. The stone coloured wooden facade and the way the building splits into two distinct looking but connected structures are the perfect examples of these goals being achieved with great beauty.

In the first portion of the house, you’ll find the more functional aspects of a home and the areas where you’d typically do things together as a family or host guests. These include the kitchen, dining room, and living room. Moving onto the second “volume” of the home, you’ll encounter spaces that might be used for more independent things, like sleep, work, and media or private relaxation. The rooms and parts of the house are far from cut off from each other, and yet the areas remain distinct in a way that makes sense. After all, separating public and private areas offers a logical change in atmosphere from room to room!

In terms of the home’s physicality, each of the two volumes of the house is angled slightly in a way that not only simplified the construction of the house, but also gives guests and dwellers a better view of the lovely natural topography surrounding the home.

Besides the granite flooring and the wooden walls and furniture, Villa Wennerström incorporates nature in a way that feels almost cohesive between interior and exterior thanks to stunning floor to ceiling windows. This gives one side of the house what essentially looks like a glass wall, which in turn allows sunlight to spill into the central living and eating areas. This is also partially thanks to the way the volumes of the house are angled, as we mentioned before.

Overall, the entire project is a stunning example of how functional and whimsical elements can be blended un innovative ways to create experiences in all kinds of manners, including architecturally!

Photographs by Lars Grafstrom

Relaxing PH House created by Mét Vuong Studio to Foster Family Time and Escape from Busy Days

By Courtney • Dec 20, 2018

Recently, innovative Vietnamese design team Mét Vuong Studio took on an architectural project in Dong Hoi, Vietnam that had a slightly more unique goal than usual. Rather than just building an average family home, these designers sought to create a haven where family members can escape the hustle and bustle of busy life at the end of the day and thoroughly enjoy their space and each other’s company, letting them feel rejuvenated and refreshed to tackle each morning. That’s how PH House came to be!

PH House is a two story dwelling built for two married professionals and their children; a son and a daughter. Despite being located in the thick of fast paced, urban life, giving the family access to everything they need in their modern lifestyle, it is also an escape for the mind, body, and soul when the day is done.

In their design process, this team made their primary goal one of shared time and calming space. They strove to create a home where the family might return from a long day of work and study and gather together to catch up, eat, or relaxed and recollect. This intent is clear in the presence of a beautiful central room that features a comfortable seating area, distraction free space, and calming koi pond right in the middle of the house.

Besides providing the family with great shared space, these designers also emphasized the value of comfortable and cheerful personal space as well. As such, each family member’s bedroom has been customized to reflect their personality and style, making each room really feel like a home within their shared home.

In order to bolster this idea of home relaxation and winding down even further, Met Vuong Studio extended the idea of incorporating natural elements into an urban house even further than the featured koi pond. Guests will also find an abundance of refreshing plant life and greenery right there in the house, as well as structures and elements made from entirely natural materials. Throughout the house, materials such as wood, steel, concrete, brick, and stone play off each other and create both contrast and cohesiveness.

The drive to use as many beautiful natural materials in this project’s construction was actually two fold. Besides establishing a healthy, calming atmosphere in the home, these materials also enabled designers to buy supplies locally, eliminating unnecessary costs and boosting local economic participation.

As if all this wasn’t enough to create a place that’s perfect for unwinding in after a long day, features like skylights, large windows, and open-air transition spaces that blend interior and exterior elements of the home let a fresh breeze and sunlight permeate each room. Thanks to several cutout walls and the presence of stone based materials, however, no privacy or safety is sacrificed.

Photographs by Công Lý Phạm

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