House in Nagoya2 by Suppose Design Office
When designing this tiny modern dwelling, Makoto Tanijiri of Suppose Design Office chose to forego the traditional relationship between a building and its landscape. Instead of placing the nondescript box into its environment, he extracted a piece of the surrounding landscape and placed it within the home. Upon entry, visitors are greeted by an elevated rock garden with a lone, sinewy tree and large concrete stepping stones. Moving further into the home, one discovers a similar rocky landscape occupying an inordinate amount of the bottom level. An unfurnished, sunken concrete room and minimalist bathroom are the sole living spaces, though further amenities are located on the second level. Ultimately, Tanijiri’s house focuses less on resident accommodation and more on the serenity inherent in a closely contained minimal garden.
See more of the house after the jump.
Bridge House by Max Pritchard Architect
Just outside of Adelaide, Australia, a bridge house by architect Max Pritchard spans a rocky river creek dotted with red river gum trees. The home uses widely available industrial building materials and passive heating and cooling techniques to stay financially and ecologically prudent. Its primary structural elements are a pair of massive trusses that span the ravine, anchored by concrete piers. Pritchard asserts that he aimed to design a home that “touched the earth lightly.” The home lies between the trusses and implements a concrete slab floor, large glass panels, and corrugated steel on both the roof and walls. The long, narrow floor plan makes the house conducive to natural cross-ventilation, which combines with louvered window overhangs that allow sun to enter in the winter and block it during the summer. Photovoltaic cells and solar water heaters are mounted on the roof, further reinforcing the sustainable nature of the home.
See more images of the Bridge House after the jump.
ATNMBL – The Autonomobile
Maaike Evers and Mike Simonian are, together, the San Francisco design consultancy Mike and Maaike and are responsible for the G1 mobile phone (the first to feature the Google Android OS) were also part of the team that created the Xbox 360.
More recently they have turned their attentions to the world of car design and have produced the ATNMBL as an investigation into how a car designed without reference to the traditions and dogma of conventional automotive styling would look and function. Crucially, they also looked into what would happen if car no longer needed to be piloted by its human occupants.
The result, projected as being a solution viable in the year 2040, owes more to the disciplines of architecture and interior design than the works of Harley Earl or Nuccio Bertone. It’s tall enough to stand in, prodigiously glazed and devoid of the sculpture of an Audi TT or even the more practical (and in automotive engineering terms, avant-garde) Mercedes A-Class.
There will probably always be dyed-in-the-wool petrolheads that are sceptical of such concepts but there will probably also be plenty of people who would welcome the chance to use the time spent in traffic on their daily commute working, catching up on emails or even having breakfast instead of just staring at the rear bumper of the car ahead of them. In fact, there are probably plenty of petrolheads who would welcome the chance to hone their skills around a virtual Nürburgring with the latest edition of Gran Turismo whilst sitting in a traffic jam. Now that would be a commute.
See more after the jump.
Half Buried House in Chihuahua, Mexico
Protruding from a hillside in Chihuahua, Mexico, this home by architecture firm PRODUCTURA is a dramatic deviation from its traditional neighbors. Located in a prestigious golf course community, the owners and architects creatively interpreted local zoning laws to build a decidedly modern structure. The dynamic roof lines mimic the surrounding hilly terrain and create opportunities for outdoor terraces and windows with views of the sprawling adjacent golf course. The desert climate in Chihuahua was the driving force behind the sunken design of the home. With temperatures varying by 80 degrees Fahrenheit over the course of a day, cutting into the earth was the most effective method to keep the home comfortable at all times. The thermal mass of the earth, in collaboration with the white exterior, minimize heat gain during the day. At night, the heat absorbed by the hillside during the day is released into the home’s interior.
See more images after the jump.
Branislav Kropilak Architectural Photography
Branislav Kropilak has begun receiving notoriety for his architectural photography, despite choosing relatively mundane subjects for the bulk of his work. Where most architectural photographers seek the latest work from prominent architects, Kropilak focuses primarily on industrial scenes, bringing a fresh perspective to everyday objects. His pictures of parking garages, windmills, airports, and gas stations implement long exposures, interesting perspectives, and digital retouching to achieve the desired dramatic effects.
More of Branislav Kropilak’s Architectural Photography after the jump.
Flux Chair
For a chair that’s not just sculptural, but truly a sculpture (of sorts) check out the Flux chair, a polypropylene entertaining chair that can be assembled in 10 seconds. When folded, the chair can be carried as a case, and folded flat. Amazingly, the entire chair is created in a single section, with fasteners integrated into the design. Available in August from Flux.
Check out the video for a demonstration after the jump.
Haus Bold by Thomas Bendel
German architect Thomas Bendel designed and oversaw the construction of Haus Bold, a sculptural concrete residence on a sparse seaside site. The shell of the home is composed of prefabricated concrete elements, arranged in a manner reminiscent of a half-pipe. The voids created by the concrete formwork are occupied by black anodized aluminum frames and glass panels. Haus Bold exudes an overt industrial aesthetic, especially when viewed in its natural context. The interior maintains the exterior theme, with concrete walls and ceilings complemented by black stone flooring. A few select classic modern furnishings adorn the interior, allowing the distinctive architecture to take center stage.
More images after the jump.
Casa 45 Faber Park by Ong & Ong
During construction of the home at 45 Faber Park, architecture firm Ong & Ong were faced with the challenge of keeping as much of the surrounding environment intact as possible. Despite the preservationist preferences of the client, the house borne from the design process stands out dramatically against its natural backdrop. The most prominent design element is the upper volume of the home, cantilevered past a natural stone base, clad in black metal paneling. Windows are cut into the paneling, visually lightening what is otherwise a dominant element. Natural materials such as teak decking and marble abound throughout, countering the more modern elements. The lower level employs sliding glass panels that allow interior livings spaces to merge seamlessly with outdoor living spaces and provide pool access.
Check out more of the Casa 45 Faber Park after the jump.
CarGo Concept
We at SwipeLife have long been aware that not only does form follow function, but that often creativity is spurred on to greater heights by the challenges of meeting strict, functional requirements. The CarGo delivery vehicle concept, from Adam Schacter, a freshly graduated automotive designer from the renowned Transport design course at Coventry University in the UK.
If the execution looks a little like the result of an illicit night of passion between a Smart ForTwo and a John Deere, the concept is admirably focussed. The length and width of the CarGo can be adjusted between different modes to allow it to adapt to different loads and traffic situations and hub-mounted electric motors help with packaging maximum load-capacity within a footprint that could comfortably squeeze down some of the narrowest European city centre streets.
Schacter’s design has highlighted an interesting niche that could not only be the perfect tool for a host of small businesses and start-ups but also something that could be a vital ingredient in creating that holy grail of city planners, mayors and urbanists the world over, the bustling, dense and most of all, sustainable, downtown. Is the future of Motown CarGo?
See more images after the jump.
Cabin in Stockholm Archipelago by GRAD Arkitekter
What started as a simple observation pavilion in the archipelago of Stockholm eventually developed into this small cabin retreat. During construction, architecture firm GRAD Arkitekter realized the rocky cliff location failed to provide respite from the harsh sun and unrelenting wind of the mountainside. Small and sparse, the cabin serves to provide a sheltered observation point, incorporating a protruding glass bay at one corner. Accommodations are meager, with only an L-shaped built in bench, shelving, kitchenette, and a fireplace for heat. The cabin has managed to maintain the original intent and character of the pavilion, but manages the task in a much more hospitable manner.
See more images after the jump.
