Wood Walls
A Remodeling that Manages to Fuse the Interior with the Exterior
By Magaly • Nov 5, 2018

This modern residence of open spaces and full of natural light was re-designed by the architecture firm David Coleman Architecture in 2015 in the city of Seattle, United States. It has an area of 6058 ft2, and we can see the result of the attempts to merge both the interior and the exterior. The original house, designed in 1956 by a prominent Seattle architect, is located in the private enclave of Broadmoor. It was conceived as a serpentine structure of a single floor.

The objective of the firm was to clarify the layout; add where necessary to improve habitability, merge the interior and exterior space where possible, and improve the general ambience. To achieve this, a series of initiatives were launched that had the effect of better defining the access to the house, the movement through the house, and the relationship between the interior and exterior space. This resulted in a transformation of the whole, raising the overall quality of the building and the landscape, allowing the promise of the original structures and the site to be fully realized.


The plan preserves the openness that one expects in a modern home, but it also contains an appearance of intimacy that is not expected in such a large and open building. This is achieved through the insertion of subtle but effective architectural devices, all lending a more human and accessible scale.















- View of the external terraces
- Main entrance
- Spacious interior full of light
- Modern kitchen area
- Modern kitchen in wood
- Large living room
- Internal corridors connect the areas
- Wooden internal stairs
- Room with glass walls
- Large bathroom in wood
- Large bathroom
- Nocturnal view
An Old Carpentry Workshop Maintains its Essence even Though it has been Transformed into an Architectural Workshop
By Magaly • Nov 1, 2018

Transforming, rescuing and recycling were the main themes in this new work space, ensuring that the essence of the house and the old carpentry workshop were not lost. The architects and designers Carlos Cardona, Diana Amador, Paulina Gonzalez, Felicia Ureña, Merlina Stephens, Alberto Molina, Jessica Young, Miguel Montor, and Francisco I. Bustillos from the Miguel Montor Architecture Workshop were all involved. They had this study house that they found interesting, and that, mixed with the idea of an architectural workshop, they wanted to achieve a place where they could discuss materials, details, textures, and environments. It would be the perfect place for brainstorming and contemplation.

The area of 145 square meters is distributed in 4 levels: reception and showroom on the ground floor, two levels of work areas, and a roof where a small meeting room and a private one were located, the latter separated by a small terrace.







The goal was to achieve a study and architecture workshop where the aura of experimentation was always present and felt, as well as the essence of that house, and that the angel of that carpentry workshop remained present in this new work space, integrated as a renewed member of the alley.















View in gallery
View in gallery
- External details
- Details of the exteriors in wood
- Views of the external gardens
- View of the interior from the outside
- Interior with wooden walls
- Internal walls in concrete
- Wooden stairs
- Small work area
- Offices
- Offices
When Cooking is an Art that We Enjoy
By Magaly • Oct 31, 2018

Cooking is definitely an art and this space has been designed for those who revel in the pleasure of cooking. The space looks to bring to life the concept of a free kitchen that brings together lovers of good food, becoming the throne of a large, versatile, and functional space with an air of lightness. The one in charge of this project, carried out recently, has been W4 Arquitetura Criativa under the direction of its professionals Camila Pigatto, Fernanda Sá, and Laura Tavares.

It has an area of 35 square meters and is located in Três Figueiras, Porto Alegre, Brazil. As a sustainable solution, the iron mesh of rods in the wall serves as a custom mural in the space and is reused from the construction phase, avoiding its elimination and the waste of material. The wall with vertical garden is made with recycled cloth bags.


Another element considered sustainable is the presence of an orchard that serves as raw material for the preparation of the chef’s dishes in the workshop space, using organic spices from direct sowing.










- Kitchen area with space for relaxation
- Small corner of rest
- Large kitchen area
- Kitchen table with accessories
- Recycled wall grille
- Recycled wall grille
- Vertical garden area

This project of 243 square meters, developed on a single floor, has been recently designed in the northern area of the city of Cordoba, Argentina, by the architectural firm Fanesi Navarro Arquitectos and carried out by its professionals Agustina Fanesi and Mariangel Navarro .

It consists mainly of two rectangular volumes that intersect at one point. Responding to the idea of the project, the volumes, each with a different height to house the different uses of the house, leave their structures visible, which are supported one above the other. In this way, the structure becomes part of the façade of the house.

The volume with less height contains the private spaces and the garage, while the other volume houses the social spaces of the house. At this higher volume, two lightweight structures are attached to each of the sides, which work as an eaves for the entrance and gallery in the quiet part of the building. They tried to compose the project of simple forms and materials, in such a way that the exposed concrete and sheet perfectly accompany the composition of volumes on the outside.


The interior of the house sought to generate bright, warm and pleasant spaces with large openings. The eaves and the gallery not only fulfill the function of giving the house a semi-covered space, but also protect the construction from the sun.











- View of the house among the tall trees that surround it
- Details of the side walls
- White external walls with black details
- Large covered terrace
- Interior spacious and full of natural light
A Small House Where you Feel the Balance Between Inside and Outside
By Magaly • Oct 26, 2018

In a quiet street in the city of Akashi, in Hyogo prefecture, Japan, is this house designed by the architect Yousaku Tsutsumi of the architectural firm Arbol. It has 81 square meters on one floor where three patios have been designed.

They sought to make their spaces harmonize with the wind, sunlight and lifestyle, since the house is surrounded by forests. Without invasion of privacy, approaching nature, the design mixes a rich life that eliminates the barriers between the inside and outside, in order to feel the endless expansion to the outside world from the comfort of their home.


As for natural light, the design takes direct sunlight and the reflection of light on the exterior wall. The afternoon sun, which comes from unexpected places through waves of sunlight that seep through the trees, flows silently into the rooms in winter
In the surroundings, the house is closed, seeking to provide privacy to its inhabitants. The plan was created to create a feeling of warm life, with rich vegetation.











- View of the wooden entrance
- Black fireplace
- Living room overlooking the small garden
- Dining room connected
- Dining room in fine wood
- Light wood kitchen
- Bath in simple lines
- Night view of the dining room
- Night view of the dining
- Night view of the living
- Night view of the exterior
Remodeling of an Old Apartment in one of the Best Areas of Barcelona, Spain
By Magaly • Oct 25, 2018

The architectural firm TEd’A Arquitectes was commissioned to carry out this project that consisted of the interior remodeling of an old apartment located in the Gracia neighborhood of Barcelona, Spain.

The project focuses its efforts on a single strategy, which consists of opening the floor longitudinally. The entire project is condensed into a single gesture that manages to visually connect the street and the interior courtyard, joining the opposite and, until now, distant façades. A single element is the heart of this strategy. A new wardrobe crosses the entire house from one end to the other. Those in charge of this project, architects Irene Pérez and Jaume Mayol, who in 2017 managed to create functional and welcoming spaces in this 65 square meter floor.


There was, previously, a pavement of clay tiles of 13×13 cm placed diagonally. Its condition was not very good: it had been partially modified, there were many patches and different types of tiles, the result of alterations and overlapping modifications. It was decided, thus, to replace the pavement with a new one. They chose a hydraulic pavement manufactured by Huguet.




















- Open entrance and full of natural light
- Walls and closet divide the spaces
- Simple and cozy lounge area
- Small dining room with round wooden table
- Entrance to the side kitchen
- Narrow wooden kitchen
- Entrance to the room with wooden doors
Fantastic Remodeling of a Cabin Dating From the 80s
By Magaly • Oct 24, 2018

Perfectly integrated into the natural environment of a wooded area on the outskirts of Guatemala City and trying to erase the edges between interior and exterior in a particular way is this imposing construction of 415 square meters of construction.

The person in charge of the project, Alejandro Paz, who is a central part of the architectural firm Paz Arquitectura, set to work and remodeled the old construction that had been built in 1985 – and which consisted of a small cabin that had a cantilevered platform of large proportions – in a functional way. The original construction had a triangular metal frame whose structure allowed the platform to fly over the slopes of the mountain. The cabin had only a small social area, a kitchen, and in the upper part a small bedroom.







30 years after it was built, the owners requested an extension in order to obtain more formal spaces with proportions according to their contemporary lifestyle. The forest around the original cabin grew, and the vegetation occupied an important space around the whole project. The design strategy consisted in respecting the original cabin, since the sense of space, risk and permanence of its architectural configuration was valued. In view of the need for a social area and a single bedroom, two independent modules were generated on each side of the original cabin.




View in gallery
View in gallery








- View of the imposing front of the cabin
- Side view of the cottage
- Large terrace with views of the forest
- Entrance area
- Entrance area
- Internal corridors with glass walls
- Large kitchen-dining area
- Bath open to the outside
- Night view of the terrace
- Exterior view of the cabin
Wonderful Project of a Modern Barn with Elegant Interiors
By Magaly • Oct 15, 2018

This residential project has been carried out by the architectural firm Amalgam Studio, which has its headquarters in the famous city of New York, under the direction of its professionals Ben Albury, Lucas Leja, Vi Huynh and Nikki Drewett. It is located on a hillside on a 120 acre rural property located near the city of Rhinebeck, epicenter of the culinary of the Hudson Valley and artistic revival in the area of Columbia County, United States. It has an area of 5000 ft2 and was conceived as a modern barn, a family residence of stone and wood of 465 m², which has four bedrooms.




The family residence celebrates the constantly changing seasonal landscape, designed to exploit natural light throughout. The fully glazed entrance is lined with pines from the distant half. Its skylight and the central ladder of floating threads divide the home between its public living room and the private sleeping areas. Private areas have varied and controlled views of distant hills, winding rivers, nearby forests and wildflower meadows. The living areas use large sliding glass doors on the decks to offer wider views of 180 degrees. On the upper floor there is a bright, white and polyvalent loft, with skylights deliberately placed for optimal observation of the stars. In short, it is a house that plays with light.

















- View to the distance of the barn
- Barn with wooden walls
- Wooden terrace
- Modern and bright modern kitchen
- Kitchen-dining area
- Modern kitchen-dining room
- Dining room in wood
- Dining room in wood
- Aerial stairs
- Spacious room with wooden floors
- Room with wooden walls and ceilings
- Spacious and bright bathroom
Cozy Holiday Home in an Old Fishing Village of Copenhagen
By Magaly • Oct 10, 2018

This holiday home is located in an old Danish fishing village 100 km north of Copenhagen, Denmark by the name of Kikhavn. The home was designed by the architect Mette Lange of the architectural firm Mette Lange Architects. It has an area of 128 square meters and the project was carried out in 2015.

Located on the top of a hill, the plot has a beautiful view over the mountainous landscape, as well as the northwest with a perfect sunset over the sea. You can’t ask for more! All of the surrounding houses on the road have plots that are quite open, providing a beautiful view of the landscape.


The architects have worked with sheltered corners and a south-facing patio, since the very exposed position can be very windy. All the insulation is placed on top of the roof structure, so that the beams and slats, which carry the plywood from the roof, are visible. The house, both inside and outside, has been covered with pine, providing a warm feeling.






- View of the house surrounded by greenery
- View of the wooden terrace
- Side view of wooden walls
- Furnished wooden terrace
- Glass doors
- Interior covered with wood
- View of the sea from the inside
Charming House with Views of the Norwegian Fjords
By Magaly • Oct 9, 2018

This charming house with cozy and wood-covered spaces was designed, in 2012, by the architect Knut Hjeltnes, from the architectural firm Knut Hjeltnes.

It is located in Sandefjord, Norway and has an area of 250 square meters. It is located on the upper part of the Vesterøya peninsula, with views of the fjord to the east and west. The site is steep and was considered unbuildable; it had been vacant for 20 years. It is very wet and windy due to the location, so special care must be taken with the outer later of the house.





The lower part of the house is concrete, while the upper part is a prefabricated solid wood construction, with the interior skin visible in aspen.
Between these two parts, a vacuum is produced that contains the entrance and the garage (which functions as a covered outdoor summer living room). The exterior of the wooden construction is completely covered with fiber cement cladding.












- View of the front of the house
- Main entrance with modern design
- Terrace with modern details
- Dining area with circular window
- Small and functional kitchen in wood
- Aerial stairs in thick wood
- Stairs covered with wood
- Room with circular window
- Modern bathroom in wood, white and gray
Charming Cottage Surrounded by Movie Landscapes
By Magaly • Oct 4, 2018

This charming, 81-square-meter cabin is located in Sandefjord, Norway and was recently designed by the team of architects Sebastian Bjercke, Bergur Briem, and Francisco Kocourek at the head of the Thomas Thorsnes project, all belonging to the firm of architecture R21 arkitekter.

The cabin is designed as a pavilion between the other buildings of Sand Farm. The building has the same footprint as a previous annex building and reinterprets the building to meet modern demands. The system of construction of wooden frames is reinterpreted in the new building, with a layer of glass with shutters that close the original volume.

The wooden load columns are on the outside of the glass wall. The construction is located in a concrete basement and consists of four roof frames supported by columns, reinforced by a rigid core that contains a bathroom and kitchen. In the upper part of the nucleus is a mezzanine. All open during the summertime, the building appears as a simple pavilion, an outdoor kitchen under a large roof. The wooden shutters create a flexible outer layer to close the building in varying degrees to the surroundings.













- View of area surrounding the hut
- View of the hut with terraceSide view of the cottage
- External view of the cottage
- Interior of the dining area
- Dining area and kitchen
- Room with wood and glass walls
- Exterior night view
- Night vision
House with Wonderful Views of the Desert
By Magaly • Oct 3, 2018

The Ghost Wash House, as this private property is called, was designed by Architecture – Infrastructure – Research, Inc., which is an architecture and urban design firm focused on applying advanced research methods and sustainable practices into designs that cover the needs and wishes of each client, and which was founded by Darren Petrucci in 2001. The home is located along the lower hillside of the north side of Camelback Mountain in Paradise Valley, a small, affluent town in Maricopa County, Arizona, in the United States. It was completed in 2017 and covers a total ground area of 8,500 square feet.


The site is flanked by two desert washes that move water from the top of the mountain into the valley below. A third topographic condition — a “Ghost Wash” — runs through the center of the site, giving the property its name, and is framed by brick bars.











The eastern of these two protects the wash from the desert sun that shines upon it in the morning. It also houses the garages, the kitchen, an office, and the family room. The western bar shields the property from the intensely hot west sun as it sets in the valley. In turn, it houses the private areas of the home, such as the bedrooms, another family room, and a recreation space. The living room and dining room are house in the interior of a long sequence of courtyards and gardens that flow along the Ghost Wash from the south entry to the north pool house.








- View of the main entrance
- View of the main entrance
- Entrance with glass wall
- Entry in concrete and glass
- View of the landscape from the terrace
- Furnished terrace with views
- Modern and spacious lounge
- Living room with modern furniture
- Rest area
- Hallway in wood
- Large kitchen in white
- Modern dining room
- Bathroom with glass walls
- Study with views
- Modern desk in wood
- Nighttime views from abroad
Renovation of an Atypical House to Reorganize its Spaces
By Magaly • Oct 1, 2018

Dank Architectes, a La Mulatière-based French architectural firm, have designed this home — EDUT — in Caluire-et-Cuire, the fifth largest suburb of and commune of the Metropolis of Lyon in the Auvergne – Rhône – Alpes region in eastern France. The project was lead by the architect Steven Guigoz, and was completed in 2017.

The motivation was to renovate an originally atypical three storey home by transforming its existing small living room into a large contemporary and minimalistic space. This took the re-organization of the living spaces, making the utmost use of the interior light. Additionally, the terrace became an extension of the living room.


While the exterior is surrounded by lush vegetation and has a bit more of a rustic feel, the interior is strikingly modern by comparison, seeking a more minimalistic aesthetic and focusing on the play of contrast between black and white. Clear glass walls allow the living room, kitchen, and dining room to enjoy uninterrupted views of the exterior landscape. Through glass doors, residents and visitors alike can step out and enjoy a bit of fresh air from the terrace.
A glass ceiling allows light to flow into an underground office, austerely furnished with a small desk and chair, a small window looking out into the living room and other social areas.













- Exterior view of the old construction
- Entrance with glass door
- Modern living room in gray
- Small bar area in black
- Kitchen with glass walls
- Stairs in black
- Bedroom with wooden floor
- Studio area
- Bathroom in pastel colors
- Night view of the interior
- Night view of the exterior
Its Wonderful Views are its Most Outstanding Point
By Magaly • Sep 21, 2018

In the “Region of the Lakes”, located on top of a mountain on the Peninsula of Lonconaos Lake, about fifteen kilometers from the city of Futaleufú, in the Chilean Patagonia, this small but charming cabin frames its main view towards the lake and everything else is forgotten before the wonderful views.

It has 65 square meters of construction and was designed by the architectural firm Paul Steel Bouza Arquitecto in 2017.
The living room and the master bedroom are connected to a terrace above the lake, with a glass wall providing an absolute and free view. The restroom and other rooms are at the back of the house, which reduces the overall space space, creating an “A” form.






A backyard with an acrylic roof serves as access to the house. It is closed through a metal door that works in two ways: the first is to protect the house in periods of storms, and the second is to give privacy to the bathroom since it has an open window that leads directly to the lake.
The sloping roof rises to create a loft which is accessed by a retractable staircase, which frees up space in the small dwelling.






- View of the cottage on the top of the mountain
- View of the cabin among thick vegetation
- View of the cabin from the air
- Cottage with wonderful lake views
- Interior covered with wood
- Rustic and cozy interior
- Cozy relaxation area
- Warm and cozy room
- Exterior night view
Wonderful House Located in a Desert Landscape with Wonderful Views
By Magaly • Sep 20, 2018

US firms DeForest Architects and NB Design Group have created a home in Bend, a small town surrounded by trails and ski slopes in the Cascade Mountains in central Oregon, USA. The residence is on a large plot, covered with tall grass and low shrubs, and dotted with pine trees.

It belongs to a couple who bought the property, enchanted by its “high desert landscape, discreet local culture, fabulous food and unlimited outdoor activities.” As soon as they saw the wonderful panoramic views of the snow-capped peaks and the Deschutes River National Forest, they knew they had found their new home.






Clients had several applications for their new home, specifically covering the desert landscape and offering a high level of flexibility. The couple also wanted the house to feel “fresh, calm and collected.
In response, the company conceived a residence that has an approximate L-shaped design that is composed of rooms with clean lines and abundant natural light. Covering 3,320 square feet (308 square meters), the single-story dwelling has exterior walls lined with horizontal cedar planks, which helps merge with the natural environment.
It has sliding and rotating panels that allow spaces to expand and contract as needed for owners, a few guests or a large meeting.





- Outdoor terraces with views
- Entrance of glazed walls
- Entrance with unique decorative accessories
- Modern and spacious lounge
- Modern dining room full of light
- White kitchen in minimalist style
- Room with wonderful views
- Outside views during night hours
A House in Which Concrete and Glass are The Protagonists
By Magaly • Sep 19, 2018

This construction, in which glass and concrete act as protagonists, is located in a pericentral neighborhood of the city of Córdoba, in Argentina. It has been designed by the architectural firm Adolfo Mondejar – Architects Studio under the direction of its professionals, Adolfo Mondejar, Francisco Figueroa Astrain, Adriana Barberis, and Ezequiel Lauria. It is intended for a young family, and covers an area of nearly 350 square meters.


The program incorporates intermediate spaces such as the gallery, the green expansion of the bedrooms, and a pond in the master bedroom, which give the necessary environmental conditions. Also, there is a space of semi-open expansion in the living room, conceived with vines that refresh the interior of the house from the south and propose a new place of play and rest. The social areas of the home are accessed directly from the gallery.


A concrete staircase leads to a terrace space for events. The idea is summarized in two concrete walls that have a large slab of exposed concrete for a ceiling, 4 meters above the ground, creating the gallery. To further preserve the vision of concrete walls, three interior boxes lined with quebracho wood were designed to hold the bathrooms, toilets, and bedrooms.














- Aerial view
- Front view of the construction
- Terrace with large pool
- Entrance area with concrete beams
- Large outdoor area
- Furnished terrace
- Covered terrace with dining room
- Terrace with outdoor furniture
- Modern living room with glass walls
- Social areas connected
- Internal corridor with wooden walls
- Large bathroom
- Terrace in night hours
Spectacular Design of Spacious and Welcoming Spaces
By Magaly • Sep 10, 2018

This fabulous project, in which the protagonists are the wide spaces and the concrete, was designed by interior design firm JACKY.W DESIGN, under the leadership of its professionals Jacky Wang and Jammie Lu in the city of Long Feng Lu, Nanhu Qu, Jiaxing Shi, Zhejiang Sheng, China. It has a large space of 700 square meters and was carried out in 2018.

Although it is commonly considered that people can not enjoy work and life at the same time, JACKY.W DESIGN created an open and multifunctional living experience space for the fashion brand TKSTYLE BOUTIQUE. Ironically, however, they are barely separated in reality, as a home was brought into the workplace.


The designers gave free rein to the structure and height (8 meters) of the original space, and ingeniously integrated functional areas for work, reception, physical conditioning, and conferences, in the space of two floors without rigid partitions. There are windows on each of the walls which ensure sufficient natural light penetrates the space, resulting in a bright and airy environment.
Flowering plants highlight the original beauty of the widely exposed concrete on the floor, walls, beams, and pillars.
The design presents an industrial style combined with exquisite upholstered furniture and ornaments, which makes the overall space rough, simple, but also delicate.













- Modern main area
- Large open living room with high ceilings
- Open waiting room with concrete walls
- Modern lounge area
- Waiting room for open spaces full of light
- Stairs
- Modern and elegant office
- Modern office with views
- Waiting area
- Cozy relaxation area
- Modern and elegant bathroom