A brick is a block or a single unit of a ceramic material used in masonry construction. Usually bricks are stacked together or laid as brickwork using different kinds of mortar to hold it all together and create a permanent structure. They have been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history of architecture. In Seoul, South Korea West Village Building testifies this distinctive quality of permanence that seems to emanate from brick walls. Continue reading →

Sustainability, durability and austerity stand as the main criteria behind a multifunctional project for an educational Natura School in Barcelona, Spain. Colonial Viladoms Houses work as small community, a tiny city with a total project area of 770sqm. Three different areas compose this architectonic complex: service buildings, classrooms and sleeping quarters. Continue reading →

A long, narrow and small plot always presents a challenging task for architects…even more difficult when located at the heart of an ancient city like Barcelona, Spain. Family House is literally stuck between two buildings on a plot with 3.7m wide and 25m long, connecting two streets. As you can see, all sort of limitations emerge as obstacles to be solved… The answer to this particular task was developed in a very ambitious way: the full occupation of the site determined the starting point to an outstanding project. Continue reading →

Let me introduce you to a beautiful extension of an old farmhouse in south-east England: Hawthbush Extension. A distinctive detail turn this simple building into a contemporary tribute to traditional architecture by using a barrel-vaulted roof that references local agricultural buildings. As you can see, an ingenious effort was developed to embrace different times, scales and spaces. Continue reading →

Could it be possible for a building to spontaneously change its color and texture with the passing of seasons? The answer to this enigmatic question is Green Box, a renovated garage of a weekend house situated on the slopes of the Raethian Alps along the Italian–Swiss and Austrian–Swiss borders. Its anthropomorphic silhouette is a direct consequence of extending the idea of green roof all the way to the ground…a giant green set of hair seems to emerge from nowhere. Continue reading →

Sometimes a small addition can positively transform an existing building. In Maryland there’s a little house extension that brilliantly shows how to add a new meaning to the relation between architecture and nature: Studio Addition. Continue reading →

Modern times come with new challenges. When work and living merge to a single space, many people are in need of a physical separation between what happens in their life at home, and their work at the office. Sett Studio demonstrates how to create an efficient physical boundary between work and home. In Austin a small prefab building with only 8.5sqm reinforces the idea of living and working in style and comfort. Continue reading →

In Kanagawa, Japan contemporary architecture shows us once again how to make the best with a tiny plot of land in a tight suburban area. House in Hiyoshi incarnates the impossible architectonic answer to a difficult surrounding context: a residential district and a station on the south side and a city park on the north side confines an irregular site plan. A two-story building with a total floor area of 91.10sqm assumes a solid white presence, closed out from all sides, except for a surprising huge window to the outside world… Continue reading →

While practicing architecture, limited budget doesn’t necessarily mean poor results… On the contrary, Container Offices were conceived under these circumstances and the outcome couldn’t be more perfect!

Two printing companies bought a former textile warehouse with 4.000sqm, a giant space to be properly adjusted to different functions and image. So, the design concept was based on a very pragmatic solution: rather than building a brand new construction in the warehouse, thirteen shipping containers were recycled and assembled in order to house the new program. Continue reading →

Picture yourself living in a house perched upon a natural rock in a river… Sounds out of this world, right? Well, it actually exists and it’s called Drina River House. 346 km long, Drina River forms most of the border between Serbia and Bosnia – Herzegovina. This dream house is precisely located in the small town of Bajina Basta on the eastern edge of Tara National Park. Continue reading →