The perfect spot to appreciate the infinite Pacific Ocean is already taken by a special building in Chile. El Pangue House is positioned on a steep slope facing an outstanding panorama where the sun meets the sea… What a wonderful place to live in, don’t you agree? Let me guide you through this amazing project and its unexpected surprises. Continue reading →

The curious black elevation of the Charcoal House strikes passers-by with its unconventional form and the contrast it creates with the neighboring traditional detached houses. Put into the common residential housing context of one of the districts of Toronto, Canada, this dark plain facade almost looks like an art installation. Continue reading →

The white cube and the black ribbon – this is how I would basically describe this marvelous residential home in Heilbronn, Germany. The house body consists of two parts: the cube-like, white volume (originally built in 1929) and the dynamically unfolding, dark, brand new structure, which dominates over the original part. The modern part is higher and wider than the modest originally built cube, standing in contrast as a dark tape that wraps the structure in dynamic and exciting forms. Continue reading →

Let me take you to Hamburg, Germany, where I have a beautiful piece of architecture to share. House W is a medium-scaled family home in the form of a 2-storeyed cube… and here comes the exciting thing: although the building’s plot is rather flat, a portion of the lower level is dug into the ground, featuring different-height, fully glazed walls, structurally maintained only by a few pillars.

This unique concept creates a very interesting effect both in the exterior and interior spaces: from the outside, due to the transparent part of the ground floor walls, the building looks like it’s suspended in mid air. Continue reading →

It’s not the first time we show you a piece of architecture surrounded by pure nature. This one is especially attractive for several reasons. First of all, it is located in the forests of New Zealand, near Auckland. Secondly, this holiday home, being extremely stylish and interesting, has yet a small site impact.

Indeed, the steel structure sits on 16 poles. This way, the house is lifted over the slope and the trees are able to continue growing from underneath, so that the structure perfectly blends with its almost untouched surroundings. Isn’t it gorgeous? Continue reading →

This house, located on the beach of Palabritas in Lima, Peru is quite surprising. I’m not sure if I love all its features, but the thing that captivated me was its entrance on the main elevation.

So what you first see about this house is a pure, white, rectangular block with a curious void in its right part. The semicircular (in the layout), grey-colored structure occupies the middle part of this void, and to the left of it, in the back wall of the void, the bright red spot of the entrance door is to be seen. This composition of white rectangular forms, grey curved wall and an active red accent can’t leave you careless, it’s so exciting and catchy! Continue reading →

The history of architecture has already given us such a variety of instruments that sometimes the only thing an architect should do is utilize a traditional form without trying to interpret it. Such is the case in this studio house, called Mod Barn.

The oldest architectural form serves here as the main concept: it is an arch with a semicircular ending. This form is extruded to the length, so that we get a single space, covered with a semicircular (in section) vault. Such archaic architectural forms don’t lose their attraction, moreover if they are kept simple, they seem to be even more magnificent. Continue reading →

Let us turn our attention to an interesting project that deals with blending old and new. Here, the architects decided that the most important thing about the project is preserving the identity of the plot: the project site is situated on a rather steep slope, overlooking the village and the ocean. This marvelous place is situated on the Azores Islands (Lugar da Ribeira da Praia), which already by itself gives it a unique identity. Continue reading →

We often refer to a metal structure as something very industrial. However, the Westcliff Pavilion in Johannesburg, South Africa, is anything but…

The wooded location of this house is not only precious, but also had influenced the choice of material, logistics and ways of construction. The steel structure was chosen not only because it was easier to bring the material to the plot, but also because this way the structure could have a smaller footprint. Continue reading →

Minimalism in architecture sets out to expose the essence or identity of a subject through eliminating all non-essential forms, features or concepts. This major goal is achieved when the simplest and fewest elements are used to create the maximum effect.

House in Leiria couldn’t be more faithful to such noble ideals… A pure white volume reflects all the serenity and clarity of a modern house. However, its shape and scale remind us a bit of the traditional pitched roof housing archetype. A tricky question arises from this peculiar mix of different ingredients: how does House in Leiria really work? Continue reading →