We’ve already seen shipping containers converted into houses, cabins and offices, however this time the direction is even simpler yet so cool, especially in the summertime.

This pool is refreshing on so many levels. In its previous life the 22’ x 7’ steel container was a dumpster. New Orleans based architect Stefan Beese transformed it in to a luxurious and able-to-be-relocated swimming pool. The 30 cubic yard container was not only recycled but reborn with style. Continue reading →

Have you ever wondered what architects’ homes look like? As an architect myself, I do too! And few of us design professionals take the opportunity to create our very own. So I’m thrilled to share with you the Amsterdam home that architect Hans van Heeswijk designed for his family. Continue reading →

What began as a wish for a shed to house a water pump and farm equipment ultimately evolved in to a self-sufficient, no frills, just nature weekend retreat for a couple and their horse. Situated close to a dam, the idyllic uncomplicated home celebrates simplicity in form and materials. Continue reading →

In Toyokawa, Japan there’s a white inhabitable diamond called the Forest House. This two-story building of 140sqm captures our attention for its unusual shape and volume. The house was stretched across its rectangular site in order to generate space for small gardens filled with trees beside each wall. This ingenious design explores a fresh approach to conventional architectural boundaries. Continue reading →

This two-story building in Pucon, Chile seems to evoke the image of a giant centipede for its sloped roof silhouette and dense wooden structure that elevates the house. In fact, the volume is completely clad with larch shingles creating a powerful organic presence, while the irregular geometry of the roof contributes to a mysterious sensation of slow motion movements… Continue reading →

House of Shimamoto by Container Design makes the most of a tiny site in Osaka, Japan. We’re talking about a two-story building with a compact space of only 86sqm that puts to the test the real meaning of ‘Small is Beautiful’. An L-shaped plan organizes the program in a sequential spatial order: the front door is placed away from the street while the facade has almost no windows – both emphasizing a clear sign of privacy. Continue reading →

Picture yourself relaxing in a comfortable living room with a splendid view over a verdant land with mature fruit trees. That’s House D! This two-story building in Switzerland makes the most of an incredible natural landscape. A pitched roof volume appears to hang over a glazed pedestal – an ingenious strategy to minimize the impact of the building in such a green context. Continue reading →

In Lengau, Austria, a complex of two old rural houses has been transformed by LP Architektur into a place of retreat, while keeping the delicate fusion of traditional and new values. The bigger building shelters the main house while the old stable functions as the guest house. Continue reading →

GSC House is a two-story building located on a hill slope facing a lake in Zurich, Switzerland. A need for privacy was one of the main goals, which resulted in a strategic position of the two volumes, taking advantage of the steep topography. In the future, an unapproachable but cultivated jungle will keep curious eyes from this small contemporary fortress. Continue reading →

A 17th-century barn gives place to a new studio and exhibition space in Weinstadt, Germany. This beautiful renovation project by Coast Office Architecture demonstrates the everlasting adaptability of traditional buildings to modern necessities. In fact, the design followed a simple direction: maintain the original aesthetic and identity of the ancient timber structure by using traditional methods and techniques to reinforce the damaged barn. Continue reading →