Mobile Huts by Tom Kundig
On the site of a former RV park in Mazama, Washington, a group of low-impact “rolling huts” designed by Tom Kundig adds a modern touch to the rural landscape. The river valley site is a flood plain, and the elevated design of the huts reflects their context. They were also raised to allow the environment to return to as natural a state as possible. Each identical dwelling is constructed using a simple steel frame and massive steel wheels that allow the huts to be repositioned. Interior space is a scant 200 square feet, but is supplemented by 240 square feet of covered deck space. The materials adorning the huts are simple and durable- plywood and car-decking clad the outside while plywood and cork cover interior surfaces. Each structure enjoys a unique view of the surrounding mountains, and a fireplace, small kitchen, and bathroom combine to create a hospitable atmosphere. Kundig’s huts are a rustic respite, and manage to take second place to their natural surroundings.
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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.
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Bridge House by Stanley Saitowitz
In Marin, California, this modern home designed by architect Stanley Saitowitz sits in marked contrast to its natural surroundings. The long, narrow stucture spans a rocky ravine from east to west, bridging two sides of the hilly property. The strict linear shape of the home is balanced by its exterior Cor-Ten cladding. The steel cladding was allowed to weather naturally, which resulted in a deep red patina of surface rust. Large glass panels alternate with the Cor-Ten, allowing residents views from high above the ravine. At one side of the home, a sloping concrete driveway leads to an entrance courtyard, while a pool runs perpendicular to the home at the opposite end. Interior spaces reflect the exterior aesthetic in their linearity.
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Big Dig House by Single Speed Design
Boston’s Big Dig, an ongoing traffic rerouting project through the heart of downtown, has produced all manner of discarded infrastructure since it’s commencement in 1991. Cambridge architecture firm Single Speed Design conceptualized and built this home that repurposes nearly 600,000 pounds of that material. Nearly all of the steel and concrete used in the structure of the 4,300 square foot Massachusetts home came from a dismantled portion of the I-93 highway. Using predetermined structural elements forced Single Speed Design to plan extensively, particularly when considering how to keep the home at a human scale. The massive steel structure and concrete piers are strong visual forces on the home’s exterior, but it manages to remain distinctly residential and inviting. The load bearing capacity of the home’s structure allowed the owners to implement extensive gardens on all of the flat roof surfaces. Most importantly, this project demonstrates how material salvaged from public works projects can be repurposed and given new life. Single Speed Design points out that these high-strength materials could easily be implemented in large-scale, public use buildings such as schools and libraries.
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Oceanside Luxury Brisbane Home
In Brisbane, Australia, this home sits oceanside on the popular Redcliffe Peninsula. The elaborate 4 level house was designed with the ocean views in mind and from several rooms, thanks to broad expanses of glass and balconies, the views create the illusion of floating directly upon the sea. In addition to the use of glass, the home utilizes a central void that visually connects all four levels, allowing additional daylight and creating visual continuity for occupants. The white stucco exterior and white interior walls are balanced by copious use of natural materials, including slate accent walls and a minimal open wood staircase that occupies the void. An intimate patio occupies the small space separating the home from the ocean, and incorporates glass barriers and a pool to further connect house and sea.
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Hind House by John Pardey Architects
On the banks of the River London, John Pardey Architects designed and built the Hind House, which responds dramatically to its context. Erected upon a plot of land prone to frequent flooding, the home stands upon coated steel columns, safely hovering above the river when it exceeds its banks. The juxtaposition of a home surrounded on all sides by water is surreal, but tranquil. There are no nearby neighbors and a stairway from the elevated living areas disappears into the river at its base. The home itself is composed of three primary rectilinear volumes. Clad in zinc and cedar siding, they cantilever over the river from a central core, supported by exposed I-beams. Interior spaces take full advantage of the unique site with floor to ceiling windows. The cedar exterior siding is continued inside on floors, walls, and ceilings. Accessibility issues aside, the Hind House is a dramatic demonstration of contextually appropriate architecture, and it allows its occupants to live in an area previously deemed uninhabitable.
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Renovated Church Home in Kyloe, Northumberland
A nondescript exterior and a yard dominated by headstones give no indication of the residential nature of this historic church in Kyloe, Northumberland. A couple decided to purchase and readapt the structure, investing nearly three times the purchase price into renovations over the course of several years. The exterior remains mostly untouched, save for skylights running the length of the roof. Inside, the owners took a similar approach. Restoration is more prevalent than renovation, with original stained glass windows throughout, and repurposed church fixtures abounding. Much of the original seating in the church was refinished and placed throughout the home, and unused wood and building materials were fashioned into a dramatic staircase leading from the main living space to an upper level library. The choice to live in a church is an unorthodox one, but this home’s owners managed to salvage a structure that might have otherwise been doomed to deterioration.
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The Camouflage House by Johnsen Schmaling Architects
The Camouflage House sits atop a bluff overlooking a lake in Green Lake, Wisconsin. The house’s name is derived from its inherent ability to blend into the surrounding landscape. Johnsen Schmaling Architects had exactly that in mind when they designed the home. Its low profile and dark vertical structural members are combined with unfinished cedar panels and bright veneer panels to mimic the natural palette of the surrounding forest. The result is a home that, especially during the fall months, appears to be a naturally occurring part of the environment. The house expands to two levels at the rear, with expansive glazing and a terrace to take advantage of the lake views. Inside, the material and color selections continue, along with the juxtaposition of vertical and horizontal elements.
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Luxury Beach House in Brazil by Bernardes Jacobsen
The Guaruja House, designed by Brazilian architect Bernardes Jacobsen, is a vacation home perched high upon a hillside along the coast of Sao Paulo. The front elevation suggests a modest dwelling, but the view from the rear tells otherwise. The home is built upon a platform that hovers above the hillside, supported on pillars. Two levels of living space, defined by glass facades look out upon the sea, and the entire rear wall slides open to create a single indoor/outdoor space. A sprawling wooden deck affords generous lounging areas and is supplemented by a pool along its border, mimicking the ocean in the distance. Locally sourced wood adorns most of the horizontal surfaces in the home, including the floors, ceilings, and underside of the roof. The Guaruja house also uses local species of trees in both the interior and exterior, paired with rough hewn stone walls to further eliminate the distinction between the home and its natural environment.
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Sosnowski Residence by Chen + Suchart Studio
Chen Suchart Studio designed the Sosnowski Residence in Tempe, Arizona. Located on the outskirts of Tempe’s urban center, the home exudes an industrial aesthetic. A pronounced steel frame constructed from I-beams is the skeleton for the upper volume, which sits upon a concrete block base. The façade of the upper level is composed of thoughtfully placed windows and naturally weathered corrugated steel panels. The interior pairs concrete floors, exposed ductwork, and industrial light fixtures to create a loft-like atmosphere. Despite its industrial pretense, the Sosnowski Residence remains habitable and inviting thanks to a central gathering space on the ground level that merges the living, dining, and kitchen areas into a single space that fully opens to the surrounding city and desert.
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