Contemporary architecture has an important role when it comes to balancing the old with the new…In the following project, old means an ancient brick house with an impressive water mill, while new stands for an exceptional wooden house extension. Continue reading →

In Dublin, Ireland there’s a two-story residence that emerges from the typical suburban landscape punctuated by 19th century buildings and also by the Knocklyon Castle. The original Knocklyon Castle dates back to the 15th century, so History is just around the corner from this particular piece of contemporary architecture. Continue reading →

Such an intriguing name for a house, don’t you agree? Toblerone is a chocolate bar brand well known for its distinctive prism shape. In Sao Paulo, Brazil there’s a contemporary two-story house named Toblerone with a total area of 519sqm. Maybe the reference comes from the fact that three expansive horizontal concrete planes divide the domestic program in a very efficient and original way. The ground floor is totally enveloped in glass walls while the first floor is wrapped in retractable wooden screens. Continue reading →

An inhabitable pearl for a summer house… In Naxos, Greece there’s a holiday residence that simply takes our breath away. Carefully positioned on a rocky inclined site with a magnificent sea view to the west, Summer House has been built for a family of five and their guests with a total area of 280sqm. A sinuous path leads to the main access: a large exterior staircase announces the exceptional architectonic solution for such a delicate topography. In fact, the mass of the stairway creates an amphitheater effect on the communal terrace with its sea view to the west. Continue reading →

In Orsay, France there is a special building that assumes a perfect transition between urban and natural contexts: Maison 2g. This two-story volume with a total floor area of 216sqm is totally covered by strips of cedar cladding from head to toe: the entire facade composition and also the gabled roof respect this conceptual premise. The house is positioned at the end of a road by the forest, in the specific spot where the suburban fabric ends and the natural area begins. Continue reading →

Let me introduce you to a distinctive housing project made for a very special place: Morerava Cabins. This isn’t a conventional prefab cabin project because of the site for where it was meant to be erected: Easter Island. This Polynesian island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean is one of the world’s most isolated inhabited islands. The challenge was to offer a low-impact retreat to visitors without damaging the already fragile Eco-system environment. Continue reading →

Let me introduce you to a very special cabin built for a Navajo woman by a group of eight architecture students from the University of Colorado in the Utah desert, USA. This unusual constructive process reveals how sometimes less can be the ultimate more! Guided by a senior tutor, this courageous team of future architects rewards us with an outstanding achievement: a successful blend between traditional Navajo values and modern technologies. Continue reading →

A house extension with butterfly wings…Isn’t this something truly innovative and fresh? In Berkeley, California there’s a prefab building that captures the essence of two related worlds: an existing 1950’s house and its unique surrounding environment. In order to preserve the existing atmosphere designed by a popular landscape architect some cautions were taken as guidelines for the new house extension: two new structures and a recast landscape, all balanced with the original residence. Continue reading →

Can a book play a vital part in the design of a modern house extension? The answer is positively yes! and to demonstrate such a remarkable capacity there’s an undeniable tiny statement called Book Tower House Extension in London, UK. The client’s need for storing a large book collection determined the conceptual approach given to this special home extension. In a very pragmatic and poetic solution, walls of books fold around a wooden staircase where a small study area allows a comfortable use of this unique domestic library. A little pearl is now available for all inhabitants to enjoy… Continue reading →

One house for four families across three generations…What a challenging program for an architect, don’t you agree? Well, there’s a real architectonic answer for this numeric equation in Singapore: Cluny Road Residence. This three-story volume is organized in a two-L-shaped halves composition that folds around a courtyard garden and two pools of water. As you can imagine, the total floor area of this multi-family house is something completely taken out of the ordinary…We are talking about 2.800sqm of constructed area! Continue reading →