White Cave House is a two-story building with a total floor area of 172sqm that serves a family of three: a married couple and their child. Its pure and bright appearance irradiates serenity, while following a clear principle of privacy as the monolithic white volume’s facade is interrupted by a huge opening that serves as the parking space. Continue reading →

An old building complex of a traditional farm gives place to an outstanding weekend home in Serra de Janeanes, Portugal. Is there something more poetic and inspirational than this? Traditional values are used as a formal platform to obtain a distinctive contemporary architecture. Stone attains a unique presence in this exquisite testimony of how to turn ancient ruins into new inhabitable spaces. The renovated house is totally contained within the rustic stonewalls of the existent agricultural complex and sheltered beneath a traditional clay-tile roof. Continue reading →

In Hobart, Australia there’s a new extension connected to a 1970’s brick house. This type of architectonic surgery needs to be dealt with responsibility in order to keep the careful balance between old and new. And in this particular case of the Dual Court House, I think its fair to say we have a winner. Continue reading →

In Limpopo, South Africa there’s a beautiful renovation of a huge two-story 1132sqm villa. To fight against the excessive heat of the area, an ingenious plan was developed based on a natural cooling system via numerous water features, the pool and the large glazed openings which allow the sun to enter only during wintertime. Continue reading →

In Antiparos island, Greece there’s a two-story building called Cliffhanger, that testifies to the concept of architecture following topography. The site offers an exceptional vantage point over the Mediterranean Sea – like hanging over a cliff. With 250sqm of total floor area, two different volumes compose the house: one is directly related to the ground while the other is aiming to the sky. Continue reading →

When traditional artisans are called to build a house with a twist of modernity the result can only be one: an outstanding example of how to merge local wisdom with contemporary values. Bapagrama Stone House incarnates this rare achievement in Bangalore, India. A single story building with a total floor area of 111sqm captures our attention for its eloquent relation with the surrounding rural context. Continue reading →

Do you believe in magic? The following project will show you the power of magic in architecture. Recycling old shipping containers for a variety of needs is today’s trend, especially when the source of the new construction is left exposed as a manifest of its flexibility. 3x Shipping Container Home presents a different approach to prefab architecture, as container units serve as the structural framework but the final building doesn’t show any kind of reference to its recycled structure. Continue reading →

A patio house usually offers privacy and intimacy. Sky Catcher House in Atsugi, Japan shows how to achieve such a delicate task. Windowless facades reaffirm the need for privacy as well as the lattice sliding front door: a covered parking area is placed separately from the main building, connected by a trail of concrete slabs. Once inside this two-story 105sqm house, an open courtyard bordered by living spaces and enclosed with floor-to-ceiling glass windows welcomes inhabitants. Continue reading →

Imagine a small prefab totally assembled with natural materials and implemented within 5 days? The answer is Whitstable EcoPerch, a luxury 48sqm cabin with a combined kitchen, dining, living area and bedroom that can comfortably accommodate four people. This flexible modular structure can also be adapted to serve as a home office, garden studio or even a classroom. Continue reading →

Wouldn’t it be amazing to live in a house that reflects its surroundings? Espinar House fulfills such a challenging task by using a special skin material: cellular polycarbonate panels. Situated on a mountain site near Madrid, Spain, this two-story prefab home takes advantage of its unique location by enhancing every type of relation with the natural context, either in social or private areas. Continue reading →