Y House by SousaSantos Architects
SousaSantos Architects designed the Y House with views and sightlines as their most formative influence. Views into and out of the Y House are carefully dictated by the architects. A cantilevered living space, for instance, incorporates a large floor to ceiling window that allows panoramic views of the surrounding landscape, while simultaneously creating a fish bowl effect at night. Elsewhere, the design is not so generous as to allow unrestricted views. Through most of the home’s hallways, small, angled windows are placed at specific intervals to create the impression of a slide show as residents progress through the spaces. Most windows, instead of being mounted flush against the façade, are recessed into the white stucco walls and skewed toward a particular landscape feature.
Aside from the judicious control of views, the architects designed the Y House based on a hierarchy of spaces. Spaces are distinctly separated into rest areas, leisure areas, and work areas, without overlap in between. The result is a three-pronged floor plan, with each “branch” dedicated to a specific purpose.
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M-house by Michael Jantzen
Michael Jantzen, a former student of ecological design pioneer R. Buckminster Fuller, recently revealed the M-house, an extreme example of design that aims to further advance carbon-neutral, sustainable architecture. The M-house is supported structurally by an open space frame grid upon which standardized panels are affixed. The space frame rests upon minimally intrusive concrete footing pads, and given the proper conditions, can stand with no foundation whatsoever. The space frame is enclosed with a series of standardized panels. In this example, the panels are painted, concrete composite pieces that are infinitely repositionable according to site and climate. Some pieces are solid, some are cut for ventilation, and some have glass inserts. Jantzen asserts that the panels in this initial model are for demonstration purposes, and could be potentially replaced with any number of different materials or shapes, dependent upon the context.
Primarily, Jantzen envisions the M-house as a system of ecological design that can be easily adapted to any site. Whether standing alone or in a group, it is another step towards self sufficient housing that he’s been working on since studying with Fuller in the 1970’s. Though it’s a long way from the dome-based dwellings he began with, the radical, angular shape is sure to attract attention from anyone remotely interested in design.
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Sputnik Chear by Shea Springer
Sputnik, a new chair from the industrial design duo ampersand, combines a mid-60’s clean grooviness with an Ikea-esque DIY sensibility. Made with molded felt/resin seat and back (a padded version will be released soon), oiled oak pegs, and polished cast aluminum legs, the Shea Springer designed chair for ampersand can be put together or taken apart in seconds.
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Penthouse Suite at the Tribeca Grand Hotel
Designer William Sofield recently completed a full renovation of the penthouse at the luxurious Tribeca Grand Hotel. Exclusive material selections and furniture throughout, floor to ceiling windows, and a private terrace justify the $3500 per night price tag attached to the suite. Furnishings merge classic and modern styles, and are accented by lavish design flourishes such as an entire wall, bench, and desk constructed from striped stone. Like its sister hotel, The Soho Grand, much of the appeal of the Tribeca Grand lies in its prime location among low-rise residential buildings where guests enjoy quick access to exclusive nightlife venues and the latest movies, music, and art offered by the city.
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Luxury Mallorca Villa by Julia Palmer
This 5700 square foot luxury villa by London-based Julia Palmer was thoroughly redesigned to combine traditional Mediterranean design elements with an overall modern aesthetic. The redesign included deletion and addition of key windows to reduce interior heat gain while maintaining views of the nearby harbor. Inside, notable changes include exposed ceiling beams, new concrete floors, and bespoke furnishings and fixtures throughout. Outside, expanded terraces and a new circular pool with infinity edge accompany revised, curving roof lines and the continuation of interior ceiling beams.
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KallosTurin Design Firm
Based in both London and San Francisco, KallosTurin is a design firm specializing in architecture, interior design, and furniture design. Founded in 2003, the company has built an impressive portfolio in residential, office, and retail fields. A majority of their projects involve high-end residential design, where their work is characterized by open plan, rectilinear, and often monochromatic spaces. Their keen design sense and ability to create serene built environments has garnered international recognition and publication in several different countries.
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Courtyard Architecture by Studio Junction
Architects Christine Ho Ping Kong and Peter Tan, the couple behind architecture firm Studio Junction, designed and built this combination live/work space in Toronto after a long search in 2001. Originally a contractor’s warehouse and storage yard, the couple chose to start with the most basic structure they could find to allow themselves maximum creative freedom when designing their future home and office. The result is a dwelling that, from most exterior angles, still looks distinctly industrial. Inside, however, multiple open air courtyards create bright, flexible indoor and outdoor spaces for a family of four. Stone flooring and wood on nearly every other surface foster an organic atmosphere inside, contrasting the industrial surroundings and cinder block exterior walls. A new glassed in pavilion sits in the former storage yard and houses the day to day operations of Studio Junction.
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Villa Astrid by Wingardh Design
Strict Swedish building codes set the parameters for the design of Villa Astrid, a home by Wingardhs Design, located on a rocky hillside in western Sweden. The home fulfills the requirement of 3.5 meter eaves and steeply sloped roofs, but does it in a distinctly modern manner that embraces the natural state of its site. The L-shaped home is placed diagonally against the hillside, and appears to slice into the terrain of the site. In fact, just the opposite is true, and instead the terrain becomes a prominent interior feature, with jagged yellow stone protruding into different living spaces. The stone’s most dramatic use is in the master bathroom, where an entire wall is composed of rock, creating a cave-like atmosphere.
Outside, the home is clad with copper panels with a dark natural patina that contrasts the landscape. The walls have an insulated concrete core, allowing the interior of the home to remain comfortable. The position of the house against the hill creates a protected exterior space onto which the primary living spaces open.
Villa G by Saunders Architecture
In Bergen, Norway, local resident Thomas Pfeffer partnered with Canadian architect Todd Saunders to design Villa G, a home situated on the southwest coast. A monochromatic white exterior allows the home to blend into its surroundings during winter months and visually distinguish itself during summer months. Whitewashed wood adorns the exterior, with planks of varying widths providing visual interest upon close inspection. The white theme is carried into the interior as well, where it is complemented by bright furniture accent pieces and large scale artwork.
When he initially approached Saunders, Pfeffer had a specific list of features he wanted integrated into his home. It was important that audio and visual equipment and its accompanying media storage be incorporated seamlessly without intruding visually into interior spaces. Pfeffer explains, “We knew that we wanted a house with clean lines without any visual noise and clutter.” The clean line theme is continued throughout the home, with elements such as the stair taking center stage. The stair rises in the center of the home and is constructed from a single piece of 1 cm thick steel weighing over 2000 lbs. Pfeffer’s specific objectives and close working relationship with the architect created a home tailored specifically to his family where he expects they will, “live for a very long time.”
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Blairgowrie Court Residence by Frank Macchia
In lieu of the strict linear geometry used to design most modern homes, Australian architect Frank Macchia chose to combine curved elements with rectangular volumes to create the Blairgowire Court Residence in Melbourne. Macchia’s use of curves is most prominent in the home’s front elevation, where two tall, gently rippled walls act as the axis around which several boxes are arranged. The contrasting shapes and a varied material palette create a layered, visually dynamic exterior whose presence is undeniable. Once inside the home, curves manifest themselves more subtly. The curved walls visible from the exterior occasionally protrude into living spaces, while an organically shaped soaking tub pierces a wall in the master bathroom. The juxtaposition of different materials and textures continues inside too- wood, stone, concrete, tile, and glass all adorn different surfaces throughout the home. Outside, heavily vegetated water gardens and a lap pool combine with a patio and rooftop deck where residents enjoy views across the bay.
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