With an extravagant design and inspiring opulence throughout, Villa Chi is one of the nine exclusive accommodation units making up Cape Sienna Resort, a holiday retreat located in an area known as Millionaires’ Mile on Phuket island in Thailand. Perched above the sea, on a spectacular rocky ground, the villa offers great views and a high level of privacy. The interiors of the mansion showcase a variety of modern elements, mixed with decorative items inspired from the local culture: “a bold black and white theme is enhanced with Asian design details including Buddha statues and Apsara dancers reminiscent of an ancient Hindu temple. Each of the three bedrooms is an ultra private oasis with generous sea views, king-sized beds and en-suite bathrooms, two with double jacuzzi bathtubs. Romantic movie nights can be enjoyed in the master suite, which features a large, retractable LCD projector screen“. Other features of the villa include a generous swimming pool with sea vistas, a spa, a fitness center, yoga and Pilates sessions. In case you are planning an escape in Thailand, here is where you can book a stay at Villa Chi, with prices ranging from $1,150 to $2,300 per night.

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Fiberglass and polymer meet in a unique sculpture depicting a life-size elephant balancing on its trunk. Interestingly floating above the ground, this creatively charged exhibit piece was imagined by contemporary French artist Daniel Firman. Part of the exhibition entitled “The Circus as a Parallel Universe” that can be seen between 4 May and 2 September 2012 at Kunsthalle Wien, Vienna, this installation named Nasutamanus follows the first balancing elephant exhibited in France back in 2008 and named Wursa. Collaborating with a taxidermist ensured that this piece would be life-like enough to have a powerful visual impact. Being connected to the wall with its trunk, the floating elephant sculpture displays what an elephant can do at 18 000 Km from earth gravity. Measuring 7.2 feet x 17.3 feet x 44 inches, Nasutamanus shows the extraordinary power of nature captured in one of its beings.

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Resonating with its surroundings, the Bulgari Resort in Bali speaks a hybrid design language, combining traditional Balinese shapes and high class Italian style in an unforgettable destination. A sophisticated atmosphere intertwines with exquisite services in a successful attempt of creating a sublime experience. Gathering views across the Indian Ocean, the resort sits 150 meters over the sea, implementing natural inspiration and creating a dreamy setting for guests. This is the second luxury property from Bulgari Hotels & Resorts, and it gathers 300 square meter villas where you can wholeheartedly enjoy exquisite views across the nearby Ocean. Beautiful alang alang roofs made out of coconut thatch combined with luxuriously designed interiors and exteriors compose a breathtaking merger between traditional and modern: ” The floor plan makes a sharp distinction between the quiet and reserved private area and the glamorously festive social area. The construction faithfully respects local techniques, and each stone has been cut and chiseled on site by hand.”

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Set in a picturesque surrounding, the 900 square meter property in Medellin, Colombia, rises from the natural landscape in a successful effort of displaying modern architecture across the semi-rural landscape. Adorning one of the hills surrounding Medellin, the private family house was designed by renowned architect Oscar Mesa. The excavation brought huge stones to the surface – these were kept on the site to compose a splendid arrangement that beautifies the exteriors and can also be seen from the dining room, recreating the feeling of being outside while having dinner by the stairs leading to the private upstairs bedrooms. A single floor structure separated from the two floors building by a lap pool creates a prolongation of the internal spaces. In between these two volumes, the pool rounded on one side mirrors the surrounding and passing clouds. The imposing character of the house found on ArchDaily constructs a modern setting in which stones, grass and scarce greenery complete the fascinating approach to blending modern architecture with the natural landscape.

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Private House in Sassuolo is a project implemented by Bologna-based studio Enrico Iascone Architetti and located in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. The building accommodates two buildings in a single compact volume, with more than enough space to serve the living needs of two families. According to the architects, the building was envisioned like “a closed volume, which bifurcates into two  separate units, each with its own garden and no introspection. The rooms of the house are arranged around the patio, allowing the penetration of light into the core of the house. The privacy and quietness of the patio is combined with the aesthetic qualities and the expression of elegance given by the dark walls“. With focus on energy-efficiency, the building features thick ceramic panels mounted on a ventilated  wall and a photovoltaic roof, visually integrated in the design of the project.

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This inspiring award-winning design displayed by studio Superkül’s +HOUSE is located in Mulmur, Ontario, Canada. Sustainability features were incorporated in the design, creating a house for the future that naturally rests on the sloped land. Designed by Toronto-based practice Superkül Inc Architect, the impressive sequence of spaces welcome daylight into the social zone, creating a powerful bond to the surrounding landscape. The lakefront residence is accompanied by a full-length wooden deck linking the interiors to the pontoon. Seen through 14 feet high glazing, the lake’s seasonal changes become part of the everyday experience. Based on a rectangular floor plan, the house boasts private bedrooms on both ends. Materials used to build the+ HOUSE were carefully adjoined to shape a fantastic result: “ Built of inert cementitious blocks that inhibit the growth of fungi and molds, the walls are finished with a natural clay plaster that requires no paint finish. A soy-based sealer was used for the concrete floors and counters, and untreated silk and hemp fabric was used for the curtains.” Covered with a green roof, shaded by overhangs and naturally ventilated while being caressed by daylight makes this residential development an eco-sensitive home.

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Sustainability has been THE buzz word of the past few years and manufacturers have been under increasing pressure to reduce the carbon footprint of the products that they bring to market. Using recycled materials is one way that they have sought to do this. But one company has taken this in a very unexpected direction by producing a kitchen made from recycled, eco-friendly paper. Italian kitchen manufacturer Key Cucine has used PaperStone, an innovative new material composed of recycled paper fiber and non-petroleum-based resins to create the Eco kitchen designed by Alessio Bassan. The original design features a checkerboard modular surface in four different shades suspended on a recessed base. Meticulous attention has been paid to details, such as the PaperStone sink with sunken taps and the board, which provides extra preparation space. The kitchen also benefits from recessed handles making  the doors easier to open without interrupting the smooth, clean design.

Are you surprised to see a kitchen made from paper?

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The Six Senses Con Dao Resort in Vietnam, designed by AW², is a holiday retreat bringing together 50 beautifully designed villas, sandy beaches and forested hills. With materials and colors blending seamlessly into the environment, the Six Senses Resort was developed using natural, sustainable sources, acquired locally where possible. Each of the villas is an inspiring combination of rustic and modern. Wood is the element which predominates, both in the exterior finishes and indoor wall paneling. The interiors are tasteful and inviting, perfect for ultimate relaxation. At the edge of the beach there is a softly curving pool, shaded by wild and mature mahogany trees, one of the many spotlights of the resort. A holiday escape in this resort will give you a chance to practice snorkeling, diving around the best coral reef in Vietnam and simply take in the natural beauty of the Con Dao archipelago.

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Elegantly imposing, this contemporary home employs the traditional Asian concept of multi-generation living in a modern residential structure. Singapore-based studio Formwerkz Architects imagined a house that would care for different needs of each inhabitant and unify the family in a set of common spaces. The three story Apartment House project in Singapore is not only a family fortress, but also an adaptable dwelling that can easily be expanded or changed, according to each generation’s needs.

Even the scale of this residential unit hits towards its function – a residence prepared to construct a new lifestyle for the many members of the family: “The house is organized in two linear volumes, split by a common pool in the middle but connected on the upper floors by the family space. The 2-storey volume houses the parents’ master en-suite on the upper floors, floating above the main living space. A lawn garden sits above on the roof. The 3–story block primarily, apart from the dining and kitchen on the ground floor, are tailored to the lifestyles of the 3 siblings yielding to their individual narratives.“These spaces have a remarkable adaptability feature both on the exterior architecture – the two volumes can easily be transformed into 2 bungalows – as well as on the inside, where service spaces are arranged to one side.

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The Elwood House was designed by Jost Architects and displays an interesting mix of volumes, each functionally distinct. With a total living area of 430 square meters, the residence serves the needs of a family in Milton St, Elwood, Victoria, Australia. According to the architects, “the client wanted a house that was clean, distinctive and enjoyable to use without feeling like they were an object in their own home purely because it was of a contemporary design”. Visually and structurally, the residence consists of two levels, the bottom one giving the impression “that a block has been carved and hollowed revealing areas of the interior from different external views which in turn create views of the surrounding area“. The upper floor is defined by timber and acts as a shelter for some of the open areas of the house. Enjoy the photo tour below and don’t forget to give us your feedback!

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