A modern approach to increasing the area and number of floors of an existing house is often related to light-frame construction. Usually, wood assumes the main role in this building technique based around vertical structural members, providing a firm frame to which interior and exterior wall coverings are strongly attached. A roof made of horizontal ceiling joists and sloping rafters covers the light-frame structure guaranteeing the necessary stability for this wooden skeleton. In Beijing, China there’s a good example of such a technique: W House – a single-story building made of brick walls and tile roof was totally renovated and expanded into a three-story building concealing a studio and a residential program. Continue reading →

Have you heard about the Miura Peninsula? In Kanagawa, Japan there’s a peninsula that functions as a bed town to those who work in Tokyo, being also popular as a touristic destination for visitors from all over Japan. Nowhere But Sajima is an extremely unique weekend coastal home – a part of the Nowhere Resort located on the harbor of a small fishing village. A three-story volume with a building area of 64sqm presents a curious triangular plan full of spatial surprises… Continue reading →

In Michigan, a tiny wooden volume serves as an extension for an existing house and its function couldn’t be more obvious: Guest House. A small two-story building with 42sqm was erected to provide a private space for visitors and also a study area for the owner. A special conceptual detail creates a distinctive mark on this compact unit: Guest House is rotated 90 degrees over its foundation points, generating suspended corners floating just above the grassy ground. Continue reading →

When art and architecture blend into a single element, the outcome is always surprising: Maracana House in Sao Paulo testifies this unique combination. A narrow site wasn’t an obstacle to achieve an exquisite three-story 185sqm home. Here, art receives a special place where inhabitants and visitors are always greeted by a magnificent tile mural full of color and movement. Red, white and black create a dynamic pattern that works as a welcome sign hiding the front door from the street. Continue reading →

Picture yourself in a boat or even in a small plane on your way to your secret weekend cabin on a remote island…that’s exactly what Eagle Ridge is all about. This unique artist’s retreat rests among pine trees and rocks rising from the ground almost like an artificial extension of the existing natural elements on Orcas Island. Continue reading →

In Tokyo, Japan there’s a unique house that starts with a garden courtyard and ends with a rooftop terrace: House J. A two-story building with a total floor area of 100sqm captures all the attention because of its spiral appearance. Continue reading →

One might say that there’s no universally recognized exact definition for the tree element, neither botanically nor in common language…however, in Tokyo there’s an architectonic reference to this biological organism: Tree House. Built for a couple in a dense residential area, this two-story building has a total floor area of 80sqm and its main goal was to own as much space and light as possible on a very tight site. Continue reading →

The North Island of New Zealand is definitely one of the most amazing places in the world to have a weekend cabin. Tutukaka House is located north of Ngunguru, a coastal settlement in Northland, NZ. This single-story house certainly complements its surroundings, featuring an entirely wooden structure with a black-stained facade that erupts quietly from the surrounding natural context. Continue reading →

Moliner House – a white cubical building – serves as the perfect house for a poet. Three floors where specially developed in order to separate three important activities of this particular client: living, sleeping, and dreaming. How wonderful! Continue reading →

In Tokyo, Japan, a small three-story building, with a project area of 55sqm, puts to the test the gentle art of manipulating translucency by using a special outer skin that clads the entire facade: translucent fiber plates. Continue reading →