neocribs

Modern California House | Solar Umbrella House | Venice | California |

2020-10-31T17:31:00.010+08:00

Nestled amidst a neighborhood of single story bungalows in Venice, California, the Solar Umbrella Residence boldly establishes a precedent for the next generation of California modernist architecture. Located on a 41’ wide x 100’-0” long through lot, the Solar Umbrella addition transforms the architects’ existing 650 square foot bungalow into a 1900 square foot residence equipped for responsible living in the twenty-first century. Inspired by Paul Rudolph’s Umbrella House of 1953, the Solar Umbrella provides a contemporary reinvention of the solar canopy—a strategy that provides thermal protection in climates with intense exposures. In establishing the program for their residence, which accommodates the couple and their one child chose to integrate into the design, principles of sustainability that they strive to achieve in their own practice. The architects carefully considered the entire site, taking advantage of as many opportunities for sustainable living as possible. Passive and active solar design strategies render the residence 100% energy neutral. Recycled, renewable, and high performance materials and products are specified throughout. Hardscape and landscape treatments are considered for their aesthetic and actual impact on the land. The Brooks Scarpa Residence elegantly crafts each of these strategies and materials, exploiting the potential for performance and sensibility while achieving a rich and interesting sensory and aesthetic experience.......more

Wood And Glass Wall Beach House Design | Oregon Coast Beach House | Bandon | Oregon | Cutler Anderson Architects

2020-10-30T17:04:00.001+08:00

Beach house designed to withstand the forces of Pacific Ocean winds while still providing magnificent views of the sea and privacy from the neighbors.......more

Ranch House Conversion | Big Barn | Glen Ellen | California |Faulkner Architects

2020-10-29T11:19:00.001+08:00

A San Francisco family of four asked us to create a retreat from their urban lifestyle, reusing the footprint of an existing 1950s ranch house in Glen Ellen, California, while building in a consistent way with the area’s rolling hills and agricultural structures.

Glen Ellen has many barn-like houses that confusingly mash up two design vocabularies, pasting residential-style overhangs and fenestration on barn forms in a kitschy blend. In contrast, this 3,900-square-foot house, dubbed the “Big Barn,” draws authentic inspiration from the site’s existing Tack Barn, which we had previously renovated into a bunk house. A simple, rectangular, two-story form emerged with an asymmetrical gabled roof. The shorter side of the roof faces the southwest sun and reduces heat gain to the structure. Fenestration is limited to this exposure as well and is organized as thin, full-height ventilation shutters that reference traditional barn building.

The entry, a larger version of the vertical slit elements, is recessed for shading. The fireplace and chimney, foreign to the barn typology, are displaced from the structure with glazed joints. The east side is more open to the view and morning sun.....more

House Remodelling | Granny Pad | Maple Leaf | Seattle | Washington | Best Practice Architecture

2020-10-28T09:25:00.001+08:00

Created for a growing multi-generational family, Granny Pad converted an existing garage into detached living space to allow an elderly family member to age-in-place while maintaining privacy and independence.

Design considerations for the Granny Pad included looking at the project over a long timeline. Not only was the Best Practice team asked to address the immediate needs of Granny, but to address future uses of the space as a possible income generator for the couple. This timeline, which included a future when the family could rent the dwelling to a tenant, use it as a studio or office, or even move in as empty nesters (thus renting out the main house) all informed the design of the space.

The team was taken with the existing garage’s simple, classic form, and wanted a design that maintained and enhanced this iconic gable. Using the original footprint of the garage was necessary, but property setback lines required an offset for the additional rear volume. This offset produced a rich composition of simple shapes, and a condition that allows for north light in the back half of the space (sleeping area) while creating an opportunity for the private rear outdoor space.....more

Modern Small Multi-Family House | Big Mouth House | Squire Park | Seattle | Washington | Be Architectureest Practic

2020-10-27T09:20:00.002+08:00

Big Mouth House is a small multi-family project developed collaboratively between three architects and friends working together.

Big Mouth House received it’s namesake when a close friend observed the construction and exclaimed that house resembled Japan’s beloved Domo mascot then promptly crafted this endearing collage.

Each unit was carefully considered as a flexible urban home with a studio space on the lower level ADU that could be used as an income generator for the owners and roof deck up top to capture the city views to the West. The massing of the project is very simple, with all three units pushed North on the narrow site, in order to provide a shared walkway with planted garden spaces along the South side. All three units have entries off the shared walk, giving a neighborly and connected feel to the homes and gardens. The pathway stretches from the front sidewalk to the communal parking area in the rear alley.

The vertical metal panel cladding unites the three homes, creating a taut skin and striking form, and is continued in a 2×2 black painted fencing that surrounds the site. Custom pink powder coated panels and railings provide a pop of color that enlivens the front and side facades. Entries of each unit are painted with the bright accent and boast custom pink unit signage.......more

Modern House Design | Moose Road House | California | Mork-Ulnes Architects

2020-10-19T18:26:00.002+08:00

This project site offers a prized vantage point onto three locally celebrated landscapes: “Eagle Rock,” a striking mountain ridge and a valley of vineyards below. Each oriented toward one of the landscapes beyond, the plan’s three prongs extend precisely in between the existing trees to carefully preserve each oak tree. The house was also constructed on steel stilts to avoid severing tree roots. To cut costs and minimize waste, the building was designed according to standard–sized, off–the–shelf sheet materials. This strategy was essential to completing the building within a tiny budget (under $170 per square foot)......more

Modern Hillside Home | Mandeville Canyon | Los Angeles | Marmol Radziner

2020-03-22T14:04:00.000+08:00

Sited between a canyon road and a hillside in the Santa Monica Mountains, the house uses the footprint of the property to strengthen its connection to the tree-filled site. The house follows the gradual slope of the land, so that at its eastern end the home floats three feet over the canyon floor. A relatively solid facade of brick and metal panels give way to a cinematic progression of spaces with varying degrees of darkness and light......more

Modern Los Angeles Home | Westwood Residence | Los Angeles | Johnson Favaro

2020-03-21T12:38:00.000+08:00

A long-time resident of the westside of Los Angeles and well-regarded theater actor in his eighties who had recently lost his wife decided that a new home on a property he owned in Westwood would be where he would like to live. His new home on a gently sloping hillside consists mainly of one large room – a combined living room, dining room and exhibition space for his extensive collection of contemporary art---surrounded on three sides by rooms open to the sky.

Entrance is afforded via a small outdoor vestibule from the west where upon entering to the north lies a large garden with mature olives, to the south a courtyard with a fireplace. On the east side, the kitchen looks out onto a linear garden that connects to a lap pool that sits just outside the master bedroom. Two guest suites are afforded separates entrance while also connecting to the main house. The composition of the house is inspired by one-room buildings of ancient indigenous architectures of the southern Mediterranean and north Africa......more

Modern Concrete House | Pool House | Bornem | Belgium | META Architectuurbureau

2020-03-20T11:38:00.000+08:00

In the vicinity of Buitenland, a hamlet of Bornem, META Architectuurbureau realizes a pool house in the garden of an existing house. The green domain of the house is bordered on both the front and rear by the Kwaedhuyskensloop stream.

Within these limits, the pool house, terrace and swimming pond form a succession of elongated surfaces that divide the plot into garden rooms over its entire width.

The concrete walls of the pool house are only interrupted by storey-high steel window doors, which blur the boundary with the covered part of the terrace. Sauna and shower room overlook the flowers and plants in the natural purification basin of the swimming pond. In the large multipurpose room, the open-plan copper kitchen and the concrete fireplace, the chimney of which extends far above the roof, are the only permanent elements.......more

Unique Mountain Retreat |Virginia | Montgomery + Townsend Architecture and Design

2020-03-19T11:25:00.000+08:00

The Mountain Retreat is an interior renovation for an eclectic and unique mountain retreat located on a mountain top in central Virginia. Originally designed by a mathematician in the 1970’s, the plan is designed around a pentagon, and placed strategically in a large cleared meadow.

The strategy was simple in the end - white washing the eclectic palette and simplifying all materials in the home while still maintaining the unique geometry and eccentricity of the original design. White washed oak floors from a fallen oak tree on the new owner’s property replace the existing flooring. Similarly, a new walnut kitchen uses reclaimed walnut from the owner’s land. A new bathroom layout is introduced to have more of a contemporary plan while maximizing the space, and is lined in clear cedar. A simple kitchen is introduced as well to maximize the small area, and clear up the island for dining and entertaining. A new powder room, and built in bunk beds transform the lower level into a usable and comfortable space.........more

Modern Vernacular Guest Cottage | The Palatine Studio | Charlottesville | Virginia | Montgomery + Townsend Architecture and Design

2020-03-18T11:20:00.001+08:00

The Palatine Studio is a small backyard jewelry studio, wood shop, and guest cottage sited on a steep hill. With its gabled form and horizontal exterior cladding, the Palatine Studio is a vernacular reference to the neighborhood’s surrounding houses. This referential exterior form is then manipulated by outwardly sloping the east and north walls, creating an unexpected disruption to the form. Beyond this visual experience, the sloped walls compress the space above the eastern entrance path. The minimal sculptural details of the exterior not only shed the viewer’s assumptions of the form, but also draw the focus back to the simple experience of the form in its simplicity, and the space it inhabits. Upon entering the studio door threshold, the stairwell--painted the same color as the exterior, with the same slate chips--creates a material relationship to the exterior while also unfolding a notably tall space for such a small building. As the viewer ascends the stairs, the space again compresses to the top, leading to a small opening filled with contrasting white light. This is the jewelry studio, which is open and lined--walls, floor, and ceiling--with white pine. The expansion of light continues, though, with a frame-less floor-to-ceiling window, which, when standing against it, draws the viewer’s perspective from the building itself to the view of a mountain beyond......more

Modern Unique Tropical House Design | Glitch House | Playa Grande | Dominican Republic | Young Projects

2020-03-17T09:57:00.004+08:00

Located further inland from the Lodge nestled into the jungle’s canopy is the Glitch House at the Retreat. The building consists of 1,800 interior square feet and 330 square feet of accessible roof garden.

The House contains 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, as well as communal living areas. The exterior features cement tiles hand made in the Dominican Republic. The graphic pattern applied to its surface interferes with the legibility of the concrete block geometry of the house relative to the background of the tropical landscape.

The Glitch House is the first structure a guest sees upon arriving at the Wellness Retreat. Rather than marking this moment with a defined boundary or gate house, the Glitch House strangely smears itself into the jungle landscape. It is a hint towards the immersive experiences that guides the design for the Retreat in general........more

Modern House In The Woods | California | Envelope

2020-03-02T16:32:00.000+08:00

Rather than a singular building, the house comprises a cluster of tent cabins. Three sleeping quarters and a living-dining commons rise into the forest canopy on stilts and are linked by wooden paths and open gathering places.

Extending our experiments with liminal structures and hybrid spaces we fostered the land’s playfulness and conviviality, braced by bonds with family and friends.
The tented roofs and vanishing walls create an

immersive connection with the natural setting—its sounds and changing seasons—while large clear and mirrored-bronze glass windows frame views of the landscape and neighboring "rooms." Wood walls and floors lend warmth and support the comforts of modern living deep within the forest......more

Modern House On A Hill slope | Laurentian Ski Chalet | Saint Donat | Quebec | Canada | Robitaille Curtis

2020-03-01T15:00:00.000+08:00

This modern ski chalet was designed as a weekend retreat for a family with school age children. Sited on the steep slope of a former ski hill, Mont-Jasper, near the village of Saint-Donat. At an elevation of 2,435 feet above sea level, the site is among the highest residential building lots in the Laurentians and Lanaudière regions. From this elevation, surrounded by a dense forest of spruce, maple, beech and birch trees, the chalet commands 100-mile panoramic views over beautiful Lac Archambault..........more

Modern Passive House Design | Karuna House | Newberg | Oregon | HOLST

2020-02-29T14:49:00.000+08:00

Karuna House is an ambitious residential project designed to meet a combination of the world’s most demanding green building certifications. Built in response to its location on a south facing slope overlooking the Willamette Valley’s rich agricultural land, Karuna House provides spectacular views of majestic Mt. Hood and the Cascade Range to the east.

Heating, cooling, and hot water are supplied by an efficient heat pump system, and a heat recovery ventilator provide the Passive House with a continuous supply of fresh, preheated air. The home’s super-insulated building envelope is expected use 90% less heating and cooling energy than a typical home......more

Modern Seaside House | Beach House | Long Island | Shenton Architects

2020-02-28T12:37:00.000+08:00

This private residence commands views of the Atlantic Ocean to the east and a fresh water pond to the west from its location on the shore of Long Island.

Upon arrival from a quiet lane visitors are greeted by a planar facade of solid stone, punctured by the occasional opening. By contrast, on the south side of the property, the house unfolds sculpturally to present an open and transparent facade to the beach and the ocean beyond.

The design of the house is conceived as emerging from the beach. The dune landscape and native plantings along the ramped portion of the green roof emphasize the visual metaphor of the structure springing from the ground......more

Transparent House | CASA OCHO QUEBRADAS | Los Vilos | Chile | Studio Cáceres Lazo

2020-02-27T14:14:00.000+08:00

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Horizontal House | Santiago de Chile | Chile | Studio Cáceres Lazo

2020-02-27T14:10:00.000+08:00

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Beijing Modern Courtyard Home Design | Villa HN | Beijing | China | Maison H

2020-02-26T14:31:00.000+08:00

Villa HN is a private home situated in the north-east of Beijing, conceived as the example of a modern, responsible, sustainable and family oriented home. Currently under construction; to be completed in February 2019.

The home is situated in the north-east of Beijing. The location is very special considering it’s green surroundings, so close to the center of the city.

The site poses many design challenges, from severe environmental challenges, such as air pollution, local climate, a tight plot in an overcrowded city, and a limited building height allowance.

From the start of the design process, the client’s biggest desire was; “I just want a good home for my family”. For us, putting the family at the center of the design brief was therefore the most important thing.......more

Modern House On The Slope | Springwater Trail Residence | Portland | Oregon | MINARIK ARCHITECTURE

2020-02-25T12:50:00.000+08:00

This ground up new construction residence overlooks the Springwater Trail in Portland, Oregon. A steep sloped lot required a system of gradebeams and micropiles. This relatively small footprint packs in many features such as solar, radiant heated concrete floors, water retention, and a deck overhanging the environmental conservation area.......more

Metal Clad Wall Cabin | Klickitat Cabin | Washington | MINARIK ARCHITECTURE

2020-02-24T13:12:00.000+08:00

This cabin sits on the Washington side of the Columbia River on a steep sloping and very dry site, with views to Mt. Hood. Due to the risk of wildfires, one of the primary goals was for the exterior to be entirely non-combustible. All materials (even the type of wood) were chosen for their fire resistance. The main cabin and exterior walking surfaces were also elevated to mitigate the risk of grass fires. This also reduces disruption to the native grasses and wildflowers. The cabin footprint is 20’ x 20’ with a simple and efficient interior and a primary focus to Mt. Hood. Large sliding exterior shutters were installed to provide security, but also to act as solar shading devices. Through the use of passive ventilation, shading, a soapstone wood burning stove, and concrete floor for thermal mass, the energy usage is minimal. Future plans to add a solar array to the roof would completely isolate itself from the power grid.......more

Unique Modern Addition to Beverly Hills Residence | Beverly Hills \ murmur

2020-02-24T12:48:00.000+08:00

This addition transforms the formal language of Southern California’s midcentury ranch to construct a dynamic spatial environment of pitched roof surfaces. Four planes, sloped in opposite directions, are seamed together to modulate programmatic volumes and site relationships. These volumes compress in plan to draw exterior space into the center of the addition and reduce the scale of project from the adjacent street and yard. Apertures are located to draw occupants and views along folded walls and toward the landscape beyond........more

Metal Skin House | Venice Residence | Venice | California | Kevin Daly Architects

2020-02-23T13:26:00.000+08:00

The primary design challenges were to reconsider the building structures and allow shared use by an extended family while maintaining varying levels of privacy. The two story façade facing the courtyard became entirely glazed, which is in turn shaded by a folding, perforated metal skin that rests on an aluminum exoskeleton.

This perforated skin and supporting aluminum armature is mirrored across the courtyard by a folding enclosure surrounding the garage apartment. Only these building surfaces extend into and float above the courtyard. Primarily designed as sun shades, they provide privacy and filtered natural light into the main living spaces of the house and apartment. In addition they form the support structure for balconies that extend from the master bedroom of the main house and the apartment to allow family members to see each other across the property......more

House Remodelling | Ranch House To Modern Extended Family Home | Los Angeles | Kevin Daly Architects

2020-02-22T13:31:00.000+08:00

The design was impeded by several zoning restrictions which necessitated that this project be defined as a remodel. As a result, only 50% of the existing square footage could be added to the project. To respond to both the clients’ needs and these restrictions, KDA designed a new steel structure to be placed over and around the existing wood-framed house, creating an upper level with roof gardens.

Interior walls on the first floor were removed to create an open, loft-like space in the living/dining and kitchen. Corners of the existing first floor roof and walls have been sliced away to balance the geometries of the new second floor addition. The relatively small bedrooms are made larger by locating one single large opening that looks out to the view and in some cases opens onto the new roof garden. The exterior stucco is coated with bright orange elastomeric to create a monolithic appearance. The garage is planted with an intensive green roof to be used as a herb and vegetable garden.....more

Modern Transparent House Design | Napa Valley | California | QUINTESSA PAVILIONS | Walker Warner Architects

2020-02-21T11:31:00.000+08:00

Situated on a ridgeline within the breathtaking 280-acre Quintessa Estate in Napa Valley, the Quintessa Pavilions exemplify the ideal fusion of architecture and nature. Immersed in the landscape and surrounded by vineyard-covered hills, each pavilion is carefully sited to protect visitors from the elements while preserving the surrounding oak trees that naturally shade the area. Built with sustainability in mind, the overall design echoes the existing winery in its environmental sensitivity and industrial material palette that ages and weathers elegantly. The result is three, unique wine tasting pavilions that can be utilized year-round despite the weather......more