Tag Archives: Architecture

This Oiled Cedar-Clad Home In LA Perfectly Merges Scandinavian Modernism & Bohemian Experimentalism

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Dubbed the Grafton House, and located in LA’s Echo Park neighborhood, this wood-clad residence beautifully incorporates Scandinavian modernism and the bohemian experimentalism that is usually seen on the LA Eastside. The home was built by Sweden-born architect Fredrik Nilsson for his family. It is perched on a sloped site and equipped with views of the surrounding hills, and a stunning city skyline.

Designer: Fredrik Nilsson

The property was purchased by architect Fredrik Nilsson of the local firm Studio Nilsson and his wife a couple of years ago to create a space for a growing family. The property occupies 2400 square feet and was accompanied by an old 400 square feet cottage. Although the cottage is aging, and the property is quite humble, the couple decided to build a homely and warm sanctuary there. “The aim was to expand the feeling of space and tranquillity while remaining squarely in the middle of a noisy, walkable part of the city, where the buzz of police helicopters is not uncommon on a daily basis,” Nilsson said.

The home is inspired by Nilsson’s Swedish roots, as well as his wife’s Indian heritage. He said he wanted to build “a small-footprint, urban treehouse – one inspired by Scandinavian modernism and his Indian-American wife’s desire for warmth and color”. Currently, the old cottage is no more and instead is replaced by a two-story, 1850 square feet house. The facade of the home is clad in raw cedar, with windows and openings that allow daylight to stream into the home while also providing privacy. The upper floor subtly cantilevers over the ground floor, creating a shaded entryway. “Opening the entry gate, guests comment that they feel they have entered a fairyland sanctuary,” said Nilsson.

As you enter the home, you are welcomed by a reverse floor plan marked with private areas on the ground floor. The public spaces are housed on the upper storey. The upper floor also includes an office that can be used as a guest bedroom as well. The views surrounding the home are pretty serene as well, including distant vistas and glances of the nearby trees around the home.

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A Contemporary Pavilion-Style Home Also Functions As An Art Gallery For The Family’s Art Collection

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Dubbed Casa Galeria, this 6458 square feet structure is designed as a gallery concept that functions as a unique space that accommodates their collection of art. Designed by BLOCO Architects, the home features an innovative roof structure supported by five large inverted beams. The beams span the entirety of the 12-meter-wid roof, in turn creating “the gallery”, or the central and main space of the house. The gallery is a multifunctional area with a living room, dining room, balcony, kitchen, and garage.

Designer: BLOCO Architects

The exterior of the house showcases a pattern called Bárbara, which is named after the owner. It includes an array of blue and white tiles, which provide an intriguing contrast to the clean white walls. Whereas, the bathroom tiles are more fun and loud colors such as green, yellow, and orange, with a similar design pattern as the interiors.

The design of the Casa Galeria isn’t simply about functionality and art preservation, it also focuses on the layout of the house. The living spaces are divided by two open linear gardens that add green and biophilic elements to the home. The first garden is located between the solar protection wall and the windows of the central living area. It is located closer to the street, while the second one divides the social space from the bedroom hall.

The interiors of the Casa Galeria are designed by BLOCO Architects and shine a light on the family’s stunning art collection. Neutral materials and colors were opted for, creating a surreal backdrop that elevates the artwork, building a grander impression. Custom tile panels were designed by the Brazilian artist João Henrique, which provides an additional layer of uniqueness and beauty to the space. In an effort to protect the art pieces from the strong Brazilian sun, the architects created a large wall, which is raised from the floor, and supported by pillars. This protects the space while permitting soft natural light to enter through the open garden, creating a peaceful environment. The house also features a brushed gray granite floor in all the rooms, offering a calming and neutral tone to it.

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Perched On A Forest’s Edge, This Serene Wooden Cabin Is Designed For Quiet Contemplation

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If you need a break from your hectic city life and want to unwind in a cozy little cabin, then we’ve found the perfect little retreat for you. I personally love cabins and think they’re the best type of vacation out there. Cabins are peaceful and tranquil, and an excellent option to help you dump your city life and woes, and simply unwind in the beauty of nature. If you’re looking for your next cabin retreat, then you may want to consider Hytta in Lípa nad Dřevnicí, Czech Republic.

Designers: Dominik Ilichman and Adam Hofman

Designed by Dominik Ilichman and Adam Hofman, the Hytta cabin is a serene cabin inspired by Scandinavian design and minimalism. The quaint cabin is designed to provide a calm and distraction-free environment, offering you a much-needed break from your hectic everyday life. Hytta is tucked away on the outskirts of a pine forest, which makes for an excellent location. It is designed to be a place where residents can nurture their thoughts, and dig deeper into their creative ideas without the disruptions and distractions of everyday life. Hytta is an antidote to these situations and serves as a tranquil retreat for relaxation and contemplation.

The cabin features a double-height living area, a quality workspace, a cozy bedroom, and sleeping nooks. The house is also complemented by a Finnish sauna with a cold immersion tub. It is pretty minimalist in nature and is heavily inspired by Scandinavian minimalism, which basically eradicates all unnecessary elements that can distract someone. Hytta perfectly merges modern functionality and convenience with minimalism by providing top-notch amenities. It features a spacious terrace, as well as windows on all sides, which builds a serene indoor-outdoor connection, and allows nature to intersperse with the space.

Since the cabin is nestled on a slope at the forest’s edge, it gives it an element of isolation, allowing it to be protected from the hustle and bustle of city life, while providing privacy as well. The cabin is inspired by the form of a hunting cabin, which provides it with a unique and distinctive shape, and allows it to stand out.

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This Nordic Hotel’s Architecture Blends Beautifully into the Organic Snow-Capped Mountain Slopes

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Combining luxurious architecture and natural camouflage together, Mertcan Güldilek’s Nordic Breeze hotel is easy to miss when viewed from above. As you descend into the valley, however, the gorgeous hotel becomes more apparent with its unique blend of the snow-white facade and wrap-around glass. Created using AI, Güldilek’s architectural concept shows how organic design can blend beautifully into a landscape, complementing it rather than contrasting it.

Designer: Mertcan Güldilek

The AI experimentations take on a rather organic design reminiscent of Ross Lovegrove’s work. The hotel’s facade is difficult to really describe as it flows quite like the mountain slope. In the negative areas created by the facade, Güldilek adds running edge-to-edge windows that help residents/patrons get a sprawling panoramic view of the landscape ahead of them.

“The hotel emerges in the heart of the Swedish valley, inviting guests to a refuge that seamlessly blends with its breathtaking surroundings,” says Güldilek. “The organic approach to design ensures that the hotel becomes an extension of the surrounding nature, creating a sense of unity that calms and inspires.”

Envisioned for Storglaciären, Sweden, these hotels are located in the valleys of a snowcapped mountain range, alongside a glacial river that adds to the hotel’s charm. Multiple iterations of the hotel’s design see it nestled on top of the glacial river, giving patrons a stunning shimmering view of the snowcapped landscape along with its reflection. Sunrises and sunsets would look amazing here for 6 months in the year!

“As the sun descends, casting its golden rays across the land, the hotel radiates a warm and inviting aura that draws guests in,” adds Güldilek. “The golden hour lighting envelops the building, illuminating every detail and infusing the surroundings with a magical quality.”

Different iterations also play with volumes, adding multiple wings and levels to the architecture for a dynamic appeal. Each hotel room therefore has a unique view of what’s around them, creating a bespoke experience for everyone who comes to visit the conceptual Nordic Breeze hotel!

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This Beautiful Brazilian Home Is The Sleek, Contemporary & Practical Home You’ve Been Searching For

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Nestled in Nova Lima in Minas Gerais is Tetro Arquictectura’s Laguna House. The four-bedroom Brazilian house is amped with a stunning view of a lake, with mountains in the backdrop. It is a sleek and modern abode that perfectly utilizes the views and contours of the property it is located on.

Designer: Tetro Arquitectura

The beautiful Brazilian home is designed by architects Carlos Maia, Débora Mendes, and Igor Macedo, and is elevated on a rectangular core, and supported by a group of tall slender pillars. The lower level is sunken and it holds the three ensuite guest bedrooms, a covered terrace, an outdoor kitchen, and a dining area. While the main living spaces are located above it, with a rectangular concrete slab roof towering over them. The main living spaces correspond with a big square courtyard, and the master bedroom subtly cantilevers over the garden. It also holds a massive and impressive walk-in wardrobe. The kitchen, utility room, and staff accommodation are located in the same row as the bedrooms below. An external covered walkway provides access to them.

The minimalist home includes the main entrance which is built of a series of concrete steps that smoothly follow the contour of the land, leading you up to a covered porch, positioned along a courtyard garden. As you enter through the main entrance, you are welcomed into the main living space, which has an area for seating and dining as well as a kitchen. The home also includes a covered balcony with sliding glass doors that lead to it.

The entire home has a raw yet contemporary feel to it. Raw concrete is teamed up with natural stone and vertical hardwood slats for privacy and sun screening to create an inviting and warm space. Aluminum framed floor-to-ceiling windows mark the entirety of the space. The concrete roof is projecting and helps not only to reduce solar gain but also ensures that the sunlight reaches the interiors only during late afternoon. The home is simple but thoughtfully designed with the private spaces located on the main floor, while the guest bedrooms are kept on the lower level.

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The Câpsula Tiny Homes Are Small But Mighty Helping You Live Large With Less

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Dubbed Câpsula, this tiny homes concept by architecture studio i29 was launched at Dutch Design Week 2023. It is a series of prefabricated cabins and tiny homes that provide simplicity and design-led thinking. Although the project is small-scale, the plans and ambitions for it are pretty huge. The main intention behind the project is to encourage slow living and form the perfect cabin architecture, with few excellent options.

Designer: i29

The series of prefabricated cabins and tiny homes basically includes three iterations: Soft Lodge, Writer’s Block Hut, and Tiny Holiday Home. The various versions allow you to pick a home that can fit your particular needs, uses, and wants. The cabins follow the style of minimalist architecture, but this does not entail a cold or boring aesthetic, in fact, the various homes are classy and imbibed with depth and meaning. Timber was utilized as the main material, as well as natural textures and colors.

The tiny homes can accommodate a family of four, and they’re equipped with a living room, kitchen/dining area, a patio, bedrooms, and a bathroom. Although the homes are small with a minimum footprint, they offer top-notch amenities and feel pretty spacious. Each volume has its own special program and has a pretty distinctive size and height. They are accentuated with large windows and sliding doors, to allow a serene indoor-outdoor connection, creating a home that provides stunning vistas and a touch of fresh air. The homes may be small but they are mighty!

The Soft Lodge and Writer’s Block Hut prototypes were built for the Dutch Design Week 2023, and they will be displayed in the garden of DOMUSDELA, where visitors can experience the homes for themselves. In fact, the Writer’s Block Hut will be utilized. podcast broadcast, wherein creatives can discuss their work process, and relationship to space. According to i29, the Câpsula project is all about “living large with less”, and the concept is intended to grow as businesses do. Although these initial designs are by i29, in the future, there will be more opportunities for designers and architects to collaborate with the company, and create interesting builds.

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An Old Public Laundry In Barcelona Was Transformed Into A Raw Modern Home With Two Central Courtyards

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Spanish architecture studio CRÜ did something truly interesting and innovative by transforming an old public laundry into a house and a studio. The old laundry is located in west Barcelona, and the studio remodeled the space for a couple. The home is dubbed La Clara, and the architecture studio reconfigured the ground floor laundry into a home by integrating a two-story structure to the rear. While also creating a studio space in the front section of the property.

Designer: CRÜ

The two new structures have been located around two courtyards, and a serene glazed corridor, which functions as a connecting space that allows the residents to transition between the studio and the rest of the home. The design and idea behind La Clara was to retain the history and nostalgic value of the laundry, by paying a tribute to the “effervescent rawness” of the pre-existing structure.

“All existing walls and stairs are undressed to show only the entrails, to recover the stench of soap and gossip. This aesthetic choice imparts a sense of continuity and rawness, reinforcing the project’s connection to the old laundry,” said the studio.

The two central courtyards were positioned quite thoughtfully, with the larger courtyard segregating the studio from the private house at the back. The smaller courtyard on the other hand allows more light into the bedroom. “The central courtyards, or voids, are a key aspect of the design,” said the studio. “[They offer] an innovative solution to provide natural light and ventilation to each room while visually and spatially separating public and private areas.”

The interior of La Clara features a spacious open-plan living and dining room, as well as three bedrooms. Trowelled concrete was utilized throughout the ground floor to create a homely and inviting space. The concrete was paired up with exposed brick walls, concrete beams, ducting, and white metal trusses. A quaint brick staircase is nestled behind the kitchen cabinetry which is connected to the main bedroom on the upper floor. It is clad in corrugated metal sheeting on the external facades and provides views into both the central courtyards.

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This Serene Pavilion-Style House Near A Lake Makes For The Perfect Fishing Escape On The Weekends

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When the weekend comes around, most of us want to head out for a weekend getaway, escaping from our hectic city lives, and immersing ourselves in nature. And graphic designer Bart Crosby is no different! He wanted a tranquil and relaxing fishing escape outside of the city on a lake in Northern Wisconsin, and Wheeler Kearns Architects provided him with just that. Dubbed the Clearwater Lake Retreat, this serene modernist home is located in a flat clearing, whilst being surrounded by 2.5 acres of lush woods.

Designer: Wheeler Kearns Architects

The Clearwater Lake Retreat is a pavilion-style house that has been oriented on the site to provide stunning views from both sides. The sides have been built with black-framed windows, which offer access to the surrounding vistas. The entire structure is marked by floor-to-ceiling glass walls, that are flanked by two heavy stone walls, which provide support to the rectangular home. It features a lovely butterfly-shaped roof that almost seems to float above it. The roof extends to shelter the porches, creating covered areas on either side, which serve as excellent chilling spots, while also functioning as a contemporary element of the home.

The interior of the home features an open-plan living space that is great for cooking, relaxation, and entertainment. The home features two private bedrooms and a central volume that accommodates all the important functional spaces as such two bathrooms, a mechanical room, and storage space. The Clearwater Lake Retreat is quite connected to nature, but it is also sustainable. The home is heated via hydronic floor heat, while radiant tubing is carried out within the three-foot thick stone walls. During summer, the surrounding trees provide natural ventilation and shade to the home, keeping the residents cool and cozy.

The home showcases a material palette of neutral colors and earthy textures, which perfectly complements the natural surroundings. On the other hand, the exterior is marked with sleek black metal-framed windows that complement the gray stone walls. The stone walls are also seen within the home, which beautifully match with the concrete floors, creating a cabin that is homely, cozy, and soothing.

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Floating architecture designs to light up Copenhagen, Maldives

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Water-based architecture is not about boats, yachts, or ships, or at least not just about them. We’re seeing some designers experiment with bringing all kinds of floating structures that residents and tourists can enjoy while basking in breathtaking views. A Copenhagen-based studio is teaming up with the local municipality to bring these unique concepts to life and show different possibilities for this kind of architecture.

Designer: MAST

The first of three projects is a floating sauna and harbor bath where up to fifteen people will be able to have a relaxing time while looking at an aquatic view. They can even plunge directly into the harbor bath after sweating it up in the sauna. It uses eco-friendly materials like cross-laminated timber and wood fiber insulation. This floating sauna is also “portable” in a sense that it can be moved to different locations through a towboat. There is also a small changing room as well as storage facilities and a wooden deck with access to the harbor bath.

The Harbour Cliff is the first free-floating open bouldering gym in the world where visitors can swim to it and then try the different climbing routes within the structure. There are three slightly inverted ledges to do the different challenges, including a 14.8 foot climb where you need to do a particularly hard jump to be able to reach the final spot. It looks like something straight out of an alien invasion movie and I keep expecting a monster to emerge from the structure.

Lastly, if you don’t want to sweat it out in the sauna or do bouldering, you can head over to the Maldives to visit a floating villa. These villas are anchored in protected lagoon areas and have two bedrooms, bathrooms, a loving room, and even a courtyard garden and a roof terrace. As part of their eco-friendly design, they use solar cells, battery packs, on-board sewage treatment and watermakers.

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Meet Guatemala’s First 3D-Printed Earthquake-Resistant House That Was Built In Just 26 Hours

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Nowadays almost everything is being 3D printed, so why should architecture be an exception? Many architectural firms have adopted 3D printing as their preferred technique for building structures. And 3D-printed architecture has truly gained a lot of popularity and momentum. It has paved a path for itself in modern architecture. And I mean, no wonder, it has a ton of benefits! It’s a simple, efficient, and innovative technique that lowers the risks of errors, and also manages to save time. 3D printing eradicates a lot of tedious steps during the construction process and simplifies it. And cement company Progreso teamed up with COBOD to build Guatemala’s first 3D-printed building.

Designer: Progreso x COBOD

Guatemala’s first 3D-printed building was recently completed to withstand local seismic activity, allowing it to be earthquake-resistant. The structure was built by merging modern 3D-printing construction techniques with traditional local craftsmanship, for example, the thatched roof. The house was built using COBOD’s BOD2 printer, and the 3D printer extruded a cement-like mixture in multiple layers to from the structure’s shell, according to a pre-planned blueprint.

Quite interestingly the entire printing and building process took only a little over 24 hours. 26 hours were spread over seven days to build the structure which involved completing the concrete shell, and then adding wiring, plumbing, and windows with the help of laborers. The roof of the home is the traditional roof seen all over the region, and it is made from palm thatching. Wooden slats were also added to the building, to promote natural ventilation and create a spacious and airy environment. The building is designed to withstand a severe and strong earthquake!

“The project has successfully taken steps to validate the structural viability of 3D construction printing in a seismic-prone region,” said the press release. “Due to the use of 3D printing, the house features highly organic-shaped walls that would otherwise be extremely expensive, even unfeasible to complete with concrete blocks, the region’s predominant building material. The 3D-printed concrete walls are complemented by a ‘Rancho’ type palm leaves roof. This roof type has been used for generations in Latin America, as it is inexpensive, provides thermal comfort, and is well-suited for seismic regions due to the flexible and lightweight material.”

The structure occupies 527 square feet and is a compact home that can withstand extreme seismic activity while operating as a fully functional and equipped house.

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